Biodegradable plastics aim to reduce pollution without compromising daily use
Water-soluble plastics have existed for years, but they often end up solving nothing in the long run. As awareness grows about plastic pollution across oceans and land, the need for practical, scalable solutions remains urgent. The creator of this approach is an Israeli engineer and business innovator who helped spark new thinking about sustainable materials.
Sharon Barak serves as chief technology officer for Solutum, an Israeli company that earned a notable win in Tel Aviv University’s Coller School startup competition. Barak has been vocal about the planet’s direction. She notes that plastic waste is a persistent problem alongside climate change, a truth that resonates with many researchers and operators in the field.
In discussing the motivation behind her work, Barak recalled a sense of responsibility to future generations. The engineer described a moment of resolve, explaining that she felt compelled to take action to shield children from a degraded environment (as reported in regional coverage).
Historical data reveal that roughly half of all plastic produced is used just once, a figure that prompted Barak to study how biodegradable materials break down in natural settings. She drew an analogy to how sugar dissolves in water, envisioning a material that could disappear cleanly without leaving harmful residues.
Her idea evolved into a natural material designed to dissolve much like sugar does when it meets water. The concept emphasizes simplicity: no elaborate processes or harsh chemicals are required to initiate breakdown. Barak’s team at Solutum focuses on sustainable products crafted from 100% ecological raw materials, and uses equipment commonly employed in traditional plastic production to enable scalable manufacturing.
Their customer base already includes major names in consumer goods, alongside a network of smaller companies. Since the product’s market introduction, sales have risen steadily, signaling early market acceptance for this kind of biodegradable plastic technology.
Barak highlights the broader ecological and health stakes tied to plastic pollution. She points out that plastics reaching the oceans contribute to the death of countless marine animals each year and that microplastics can re-enter the food chain, potentially affecting human health as well. These concerns drive ongoing research and development, as well as collaborations with manufacturers seeking greener material options.
Ongoing work in this space seeks to balance performance with environmental responsibility, aiming to deliver materials that meet consumer and industrial needs without stacking the planet with waste. The shift toward bio-based, water-soluble alternatives reflects a growing commitment among companies to rethink packaging and product design from the ground up, prioritizing recyclability, compostability, and safe degradation pathways.
For more information about sustainable materials and regulatory considerations, researchers and industry players continue to share findings through conferences, industry reports, and peer-reviewed studies. The conversation is moving toward practical adoption, with a focus on lifecycle analyses, supply chain practicality, and real-world impact on pollution levels. In this evolving landscape, Solutum’s approach represents one of several paths toward reducing plastic waste while preserving useful functionality in everyday products.