Water-soluble 'plastic' may reduce ocean pollution

The innovation, jointly developed in China, could reduce the threat the material poses in seas across the world.

Chilean businessman Roberto Astete has had the same dream for several years: used plastic cutlery from a dinner party is automatically sorted and fed into small grinders, after which the debris is dissolved in water in just a few minutes before being flushed away.

"We wouldn't need to collect, transport and dispose of plastic waste at special facilities anymore. It could be processed easily on-site to reduce ocean pollution," he said.