Researchers have developed a sustainable soy-based material the mimics the properties of spider silk on a molecular level. This becomes a polymer that is as strong as most plastics, yet it is easily compostable and will quickly biodegrade after its use, so it won't be around forever like current plastics. They will be able to scale up production to create many popular disposable items like cups and bottles that will all be free of plastics and all the consequent nasty chemicals, and can quickly break down in any compost system.