EDITORIAL CONTENTS
REVOLUTION PLASTICS
The 2016 discovery of a plastic-digesting enzyme initiated a new movement in research and innovation at the University of Portsmouth . One that crosses disciplines , harnesses imagination and strives for nothing less than a revolution in the way our world relates to plastics .
The goals of Revolution Plastics are huge . Across a wealth of projects – from engineering enzymes for use in industrial-scale recycling , to crafting new sustainable composite materials , to influencing plastics policy across the globe – more than 70 researchers focus on enabling practical action with revolutionary impact .
Crucially , we are not working alone . We are reaching out , collaborating with communities , forging international partnerships and doing our bit to change the conversation about plastics .
We recognise the good that certain plastics can do ; for example , by reducing the environmental impact of food waste through ingenious packaging . Our goal is to drive forward the innovations , partnerships and policies that will make possible a circular economy in which plastic is never wasted , but rather reused or recycled .
An island city with a rich marine ecology , Portsmouth is perfectly placed to stand against the scourge of plastic pollution . Change that starts here will end with a more sustainable world for everyone . So , fittingly , this is a revolution in which all of us can play a role .
Graham Galbraith CBE Vice-Chancellor , University of Portsmouth
04 Our legacy of actionable research
06 Clarion call for a plastics revolution
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Chance for a deep blue step change
Crucially , we are not working alone . We are reaching out , collaborating with communities , forging international partnerships and doing our bit to change the conversation about plastics .
16 Waste find brings PET to heel
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Policy push for plastics action
26 The art of making change
32 The sustainability challenge of a plasticwrapped world
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The revolution continues
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