The University of Alberta is playing a key role in a new global initiative aimed at tackling one of the planet's biggest and most difficult challenges the vast quantity of non-degradable plastic made from fossil fuels.
The Global Center for Sustainable Bioproducts (GCSB) is an international research team focused on improving the conversion of the immense amount of waste lignocellulosic biomass in the world things like straw and municipal waste into biodegradable plastics, using chemicals and microbes.
Six countries are taking part Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Finland and Japan including 10 universities and two research agencies.