Mexican researchers have discovered a way to turn cactus leaves into a material with similar properties to plastic.

The new plastic alternative, mostly comprised of juiced cactus leaves, rapidly biodegrades and doesn’t require crude oil like traditional plastics do, a potentially less harmful way to package food and other goods.

The new alternative plastics start to break down after sitting in the soil for a month. In water, they break down in a matter of days according to Sandra Pascoe Ortiz, the University of the Valley of Atemajac engineer who developed the material.

Source: Futurism

[https://futurism.com/the-byte/biodegradable-plastic-cactus-juice](https://futurism.com/the-byte/biodegradable-plastic-cactus-juice)