Patents
A Plastic Bottle that Biodegrades Itself in Just 2 Weeks Developed by Our Students
This plastic bottle designed by DiscoverSTEM students self-disintegrates in 2 weeks.
Innovation Title:
Biodegradable bottle cap using Pestalotiopsis Microsporia to biodegrade waste plastic bottle
Name & Age of Inventors (at the time of innovation):
Hana Ahmad (15)
Humza Ahmad (12)
Mohsen Ahmad (8)
Rabiya Sayeed (13)
Sofia Ali (14)
Zain Ali (09)
Sarah Nawab (14)
Danyal Nawab (12)
Problem Statement:
Globally, over 1 million plastic bottles are purchased every minute, which translates to over 1 billion bottles per day.
The global recycling rate for plastic bottles is estimated to be less than 25%, with some reports suggesting it’s as low as 5% for single-use plastic bottles. These statistics highlight the urgent need for sustainable solutions to address the environmental, resource, and health challenges posed by the widespread use of plastic water bottles.
About the Innovation:
This plastic bottle designed by DiscoverSTEM students self-disintegrates in 2 weeks.
Team of young inventors from DiscoverSTEM designed a plastic bottle with a special cap that contains the fungus Pestalopia Microspore. Pestalotiopsis microspora is a species of endophytic fungus capable of breaking down and digesting polyurethane. Once the bottle is used, a twist in the cap releases the fungi which digest the plastic bottle in approximately 2 weeks!
Patent Certificate:
US Patent Grant Date:
October 18, 2022
United States Patent Number:
11472617
Awards & Recognition:
‘Alternate Finalist’ at Conrad Spirit of Innovation Challenge-2018 held at NASA Kennedy Space Center.
To Read Patent Details:
Click Here USPTO | Google Patents
