Scientists Turn Plastic Waste Into Edible 3D-Printed Cookies
Researchers at Southern Illinois University Carbondale used CRISPR-engineered yeast and 3D printing to turn PET plastic waste into edible cookies, but experts say it's not a commercial solution.
Jayakody told New Scientist that the cookies have a pleasant, appealing aroma and should taste good, though the team has not yet tasted them because they are waiting for university approval. One yeast strain was also able to convert plant biomass into vanilla flavorings. The Guardian reported that the process currently costs about $60 to produce one kilogram of cookies.
Some experts are skeptical about the approach's potential to address plastic pollution. Jason Hallett, a chemical engineer at Imperial College London, told New Scientist that "we produce 400 million tons a year of plastic waste" and "you're not going to turn it all into cookies." He called the idea commercially unfeasible, adding, "We're not gonna be eating plastic cookies." The researchers have not yet sampled their own product, but they say it smells like a real cookie.