I run the UCL Plastic Waste Hub where we do interdisciplinary research addressing plastic waste issues. My areas of expertise are biodegradable and compostable materials, repair and reuse strategies, citizen science, public policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recent Research Publications from this activity:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ay\u015fe Lisa Allison, Abbie Curtis O’Reilly, Alicia Abicht, Danielle Purkiss, Susan Michie, Mark Miodownik, Fabiana Lorencatto. (2026) Applying behavioural science to reduce plastic waste from diapers: a mixed-methods study<\/strong>, Cleaner and Responsible Consumption, Volume 21, ISSN 2666-7843, https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.clrc.2026.100400<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Silvia Anselmi, Yeke Ni, Alessia Tonoli, Jingyue Wu, Yu Wang, Luba Prout, Mark Miodownik, Jack W. E. Jeffrie and Helen C. Hailes (2025) The discovery of new metagenomic urethanases utilising a novel colorimetric assay for applications in the biodegradation of polyurethanes, <\/strong>Green Chemistry.<\/strong><\/em>, 2025,27<\/strong>, 12176-12186 DOI https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1039\/D5GC03560K<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Polina Pencheva, Danielle Purkiss, Robert Hewlett, Mark Miodownik. Big Repair Project: using citizen science to better understand the factors affecting household maintenance and repair of home appliances and electronics across the UK<\/strong>, Front. Sustain., Vol 6, 9 May 2025 <\/a>https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/frsus.2025.1562615<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Gema Amaya Santos, Andrea Paulillo, Charnett Chau,Danielle Purkiss, Mark Miodownik,Paola Lettieri (2025) The environmental performance of different end-of-life options for compostable diapers in a UK system<\/strong>, Journal of Cleaner Production Taneepanichskul, N., Hailes, H. C. & Miodownik, M., Fabiola Sciscione, Luba Prout, Jack W. E. Jeffries, Hajar J. Karam, Achilleas Constantinou, Fei Peng, S. M. Al-Salem, Helen C. Hailes and Mark Miodownik. Comparison of the behaviour of pro-oxidant additive containing plastic degradation in the unmanaged natural environment and in the laboratory<\/strong>. Royal Society Open (2025) https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1098\/rsos.241270 <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Danielle Purkiss, Polina Pencheva, Beth Munro, Mark Miodownik. A systems approach to growing the UK electronics and appliance repair economy<\/strong>, Front. Sustain., Vol 5, 12 September 2024 doi.org\/10.3389\/frsus.2024.1432655<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ay\u015fe Lisa Allison,Abbie Curtis O\u2019Reilly,Alicia Abicht, Danielle Purkiss,Mark Miodownik ,Susan Michie, andFabiana Lorencatto. Reducing Disposable Diaper Waste: Protocol for a Behavioural Science Workstream<\/strong>, Sustainability 2024, 16(17), 7662; https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/su16177662<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ay\u015fe Lisa Allison, Alexandra B\u0103itanu, Danielle Purkiss, Fabiana Lorencatto, Susan Michie, Mark Miodownik (2024) Enabling desired disposal of compostable plastic packaging: an evaluation of disposal instruction labels<\/strong>, Front. Sustain., 30 May 2024, Volume 5 – 2024 | https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/frsus.2024.1376519<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Nutcha Taneepanichskul, Helen Hailes, Mark Miodownik (2024) Using hyperspectral imaging to identify and classify large microplastic contamination in industrial composting processes<\/strong>, Front. Sustain., 23 May 2024, Volume 5 – 2024 | https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/frsus.2024.1332163<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Young L, Dawson S, Lavallee D, Miodownik M, Napper I, Thompson R, Wade R (2024). Dangers of disposable electronic devices.<\/strong> Science 384(6694):393<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Oldfrey, B., Holloway, C., Walker, J., McCormack, S., Deere, B., Kenney, L., . . . Miodownik, M. (2023). Repair strategies for assistive technology in low resource settings<\/strong>. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology<\/em>. doi:10.1080\/17483107.2023.2236142<\/p>\n\n\n\n Taneepanichskul, N., Hailes, H. C., & Miodownik, M. (2023). Automatic identification and classification of compostable and biodegradable plastics using hyperspectral imaging<\/strong>. Frontiers in Sustainability<\/em><\/a>, 4<\/em>, 1125954. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sciscione, F., Hailes, H. C., & Miodownik, M. (2023). The performance and environmental impact of pro-oxidant additive containing plastics in the open unmanaged environment\u2014a review of the evidence.<\/strong> Royal Society Open Science, 10 (5), 230089. Read it here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Taneepanichskul, N., Purkiss, D., & Miodownik, M. (2022). A Review of Sorting and Separating Technologies Suitable for Compostable and Biodegradable Plastic Packaging<\/strong>. Frontiers in Sustainability, 3, 901885. Read it here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Allison, A. L., Lorencatto, F., Michie, S., & Miodownik, M. (2022). Barriers and Enablers to Food Waste Recycling: A Mixed Methods Study amongst UK Citizens. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health<\/strong>, 19 (5), 2729. doi:10.3390\/ijerph19052729<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Allison, A. L., Purkiss, D., Lorencatto, F., Miodownik, M., & Michie, S. (2022). Improving compostable plastic disposal: An application of the Behaviour Change Wheel intervention development method.<\/strong> Frontiers in Sustainability, 3, 968152. doi:10.3389\/frsus.2022.968152<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Purkiss, D., Allison, A. L., Lorencatto, F., Michie, S., & Miodownik, M. (2022). The Big Compost Experiment: Using citizen science to assess the impact and effectiveness of biodegradable and compostable plastics in UK home composting<\/strong>. Frontiers in Sustainability<\/a>, 3, 942724. doi:10.3389\/frsus.2022.942724 Read it here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Allison, A. L., Lorencatto, F., Michie, S., & Miodownik, M. (2021). Barriers and Enablers to Buying Biodegradable and Compostable Plastic Packaging.<\/strong> Sustainability, 13 (3), 1463. doi:10.3390\/su13031463<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Chau, C., Paulillo, A., Lu, N., Miodownik, M., & Lettieri, P. (2021). The environmental performance of protecting seedlings with plastic tree shelters for afforestation in temperate oceanic regions: A UK case study<\/strong>. Science of the Total Environment, 791. doi:10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2021.148239<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Allison, A. L., Ambrose-Dempster, E., Bawn, M., Casas Arredondo, M., Chau, C., Chandler, K., . . . Ward, J. M. (2021). The impact and effectiveness of the general public wearing masks to reduce the spread of pandemics in the UK: a multidisciplinary comparison of single-use masks versus reusable face masks. UCL Open Environment, 3. doi:10.14324\/111.444\/ucloe.000022<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I run the UCL Plastic Waste Hub where we do interdisciplinary research addressing plastic waste issues. My areas of expertise are biodegradable and compostable materials, repair and reuse strategies, citizen science, public policy. Recent Research Publications from this activity: Ay\u015fe … Continue reading
Volume 508. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.jclepro.2025.145504<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
(2025) \u201cUsing hyperspectral imaging and machine learning to identify food contaminated compostable and recyclable plastics<\/strong>\u201d, UCL Open Environment<\/em> 7(1).doi: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.14324\/111.444\/ucloe.3237<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n