A reusable and buoyant polymer created from industrial waste products could be used as a sponge to soak up oil spills, reducing marine devastation while safely recovering the crude oil.

The polymer is created by reacting sulphur and used cooking oil – both waste products that are easily available, affordable, and abundant.

Read more about this work led by Dr Justin Chalker from Flinders University, and enabled by ANFF-SA, here.