T'puram: With plastic waste being washed ashore in several ... to utilise the services of civil defence volunteers to clear the debris without delay.The chief secretary convened an emergency ...

However, it turns out that it wasn’t either of those things. Instead, the rectangle of clear plastic was just that — a clear, plastic rectangle meant to mimic the feel and shape of a smartphone.

As the environmental costs of petroleum-based plastics mount, researchers are exploring renewable and biodegradable alternatives that are less harmful to ecosystems. One such alternative gaining ...