Keen young scientists in Mrs Hermitage’s lunchtime science club have been investigating ways of producing industry products using everyday materials in the home. A recent mission was to manufacture plastic without the use of smelly chemicals and fossil fuel by-products. To their surprise, they discovered that all they needed was milk, white vinegar and cooking utensils.

Milk was heated gently until simmering. White vinegar was stirred into the milk. The milk separated into two components, a clear liquid and some yellowy lumps. The lumps were sieved, washed in water and moulded by hand into different plastic shapes, when cooled.

 
And now for the science bit! White vinegar is an acid, which reacts with the protein or casein, in the milk. The casein behaves like many plastics in modern day life, specifically those used in mobile phones and computer keyboards. However, these plastics are based on long chain molecules called polymers, expensive to produce and harmful to the environment. Our home-made plastic was cheap, easy to produce and non-polluting!