Materials

Materials Key Points:

• Another challenge that material development is going to see in this area is in plastic with plastic free guidelines coming into many countries.  We're going to need new materials in terms of plastics that fully biodegrade at the end of their life cycle. 
• A range of countries are committing to single use plastic free way of life.  The role of chemical engineers will be vital in the creation of new materials to be produced in industrial volumes that can improve sustainability of the globe and one example is the production of fully biodegradable, plastics that have properties that are both on par with and cost competitive with current fossil fuel-based products.   
• Chemical Engineers must accept responsibility for influencing the current global throwaway culture by creating processes that can reuse materials, rather than just use new ones.