KADEN STALEY/MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
That uncertainty was key. DARPA, The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, facilitates groundbreaking, high-stakes projects. There’s a significant probability that individual endeavour will ultimately result in disappointment. When a venture achieves success, its implications can be truly groundbreaking from a scientific perspective. Isn’t it surprising that people still say they don’t believe in climate change? At DARPA, Leonard Tender, program supervisor, pointed out that “You already know, that’s likely to be truly possible” in reference to what needs to be done with regards to plastic waste tasks.
Despite widespread awareness of the problems associated with plastic production and waste management? According to the United Nations Atmosphere Programme, the world generates approximately 300 million tons of plastic waste annually. Plastic waste, including bags, bottles, and other debris, poses a significant threat to marine life within the ocean’s depths, posing a menace to various species that call this vast ecosystem home? Fixing the issue would likely require substantial manufacturing investments, with many governments and experts concurring on this point; in fact, a few countries and the U.S. have already started taking steps to address the problem. States have also launched initiatives to promote recycling.
For decades, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside many talented individuals. Despite DARPA’s unconventional approach, the agency is pursuing a novel methodology to develop a compact, portable solution using plastic to produce something entirely new: food for humans.
The objective, according to Techmann, is to provide people with plastic. The hope is that the plastic-degrading microbes within his gut microbiome will prove safe for human consumption. While Techmann estimates that several ventures can be developed within a year or two, he anticipates that this crucial foundation-building phase will require significantly more time. His team is currently conducting toxicity testing, with plans to submit their findings to the FDA for evaluation once complete. Even when everything proceeds smoothly, another obstacle looms on the horizon. Techtmann emphasized that a pressing concern, namely, “an ick issue”, must be addressed.
Researchers from various fields aren’t limited to the navy in exploring the potential of incorporating microbes into dietary regimens. As researchers and companies across continents, including those from Korea to Finland, investigate the potential for microorganisms to play a role in feeding the world’s growing population, a small but significant cohort is working to unlock this possibility.
According to DARPA’s tender, the proposal title was designed to address two primary concerns straightforwardly. Initially, the company aimed to reduce its supply-chain vulnerability by implementing measures that would minimize the risk of attacks on convoys transporting goods to remote military bases throughout conflict zones. Furthermore, the company aimed to discontinue its use of single-use plastics as a means of addressing the mounting issue of waste management. “Forcing removal of unwanted products from online marketplaces in an environmentally responsible manner poses significant challenges,” Tender said.
KADEN STALEY/MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
The Michigan Tech system commences with a mechanical shredder, breaking down the plastic into fine fragments that seamlessly transition into a reactor where they immerse in ammonium hydroxide at elevated temperatures. Some plastics, akin to polyethylene terephthalate (PET), commonly employed in the manufacture of single-use water bottles, exhibit a propensity to degrade at this stage. A variety of plastics commonly used in naval meal packaging, including polyethylene and polypropylene, are fed into a separate reactor where they are exposed to significantly higher temperatures and a lack of oxygen.
Polyethylene and polypropylene, commonly found underneath various situations, undergo a transformation process that enables their conversion into valuable compounds, potentially upcycled into fuels and lubricants. David Shonnard, a seasoned chemical engineer at Michigan Tech, spearheaded the initiative and founded Resurgent Innovation, a startup dedicated to bringing cutting-edge expertise to market. Various team members within the analysis group are actively working on securing additional patents related to distinct aspects of the system.
