Researchers develop ‘transparent paper’ as alternative to plastics

Material & Process

• Described as a transparent, cellulose-based sheet with strength “similar to polycarbonate,” biodegradable in seawater within months via microbes.
• Commenters debate what “similar strength” means; some argue tensile strength alone is a vague metric and not sufficient to claim plastic-like performance.
• Chemistry discussion notes the key solvent (lithium bromide in water) is a relatively benign salt and recyclable, unlike older viscose processes for cellophane that used highly toxic reagents.

Relation to Existing Cellulose Plastics

• Multiple comparisons to cellophane, celluloid, cellulose acetate, glassine, and “transparent wood.”
• Key distinction: this research aims for thick, fully cellulose-based transparent sheets, whereas:
  • Cellophane is thin and hard to make thick.
  • Paper is thick but opaque.
  • Many historical cellulose plastics use additional reactive chemicals and aren’t “pure cellulose.”
• Some see this as an incremental advance rather than a wholly new concept; commercial viability is seen as the real question.

Use Cases: Bags, Cups, Straws, Packaging

• Some enthusiasm for replacing single-use items (bags, cups, food containers, windows in cardboard packaging).
• Straws spark debate: performance concerns (sogginess, taste) vs environmental symbolism (turtle video); some argue the turtle issue was overblown but drove paper-straw adoption.
• One commenter cites the paper’s main target as food packaging, especially where transparency boosts sales compared to opaque paper packs.

Environmental Impact & Waste

• Strong thread on plastics’ core problem: persistence and microplastic pollution vs simple volume in landfills.
• Disagreement over best end-of-life option:
  • One side: landfilling plastic is a form of carbon sequestration; burning worsens climate change.
  • Other side: burning in high-grade facilities (sometimes for energy) is preferable to microplastic spread.
• Some argue ocean dumping and “waste colonialism” are the main issues; others push back on claims that “almost all recycling” ends up in the ocean.

Economics, Policy, and Behavior

• Many stress that cost and manufacturability will determine adoption; article mentions roughly 3× cost of conventional paper.
• Suggestions: plastic bans, taxes, and incentives; bottle-deposit schemes cited as effective at changing behavior.
• Skepticism that any single “plastic replacement” can match plastics’ combination of cheapness, moldability, durability, and safety; transparent paper is seen as one niche solution among many needed.