From Pest to Bioplastic

Using a natural component to make plastic is nothing new, but using animal matter is a whole new level of creativeness. There is more than one person looking into making plastics out of animals, specifically other marine life.

The Chinese mitten crab, an invasive species from East Asia, gets its name because it looks like it’s wearing a pair of furry mittens on its claws. But it’s not so cute. The crab negatively impacts native wildlife in Europe and the U.S., where it’s labeled an “injurious species.”