The plastics problem: are natural alternatives doing more harm than good?

Advances in bioplastics mean they have ever more uses in packaging – but do they encourage a disposable culture?They sound more at home on a beach than in a laboratory – but shrimp shells and algae are just two of the natural materials scientists are working with to develop more sustainable types of plastic.In a sector predicted to be worth around $7.2bn (£5.5bn) by 2022, the race is on to develop materials that can take the place of oil-based plastics, which can have a detrime