More than 220 million tons of plastic are produced each year, and despite greater emphasis on recycling programs, much of it gets dumped in landfills and oceans around the world. The U.S., for example, only recycles about 14 percent of the nearly 33 million tons of plastic containers and packaging that winds up in American landfills every year. Now Japanese researchers are debuting what could be a tiny solution to the big plastic problem. Ideonella sakaiensis 201-F6 is a bacteria that eats PET, a polymer commonly used in plastics that’s nearly impossible to biodegrade. (You can see the full study in the March 11 edition of Science.) When placed on PET, I. sakaiensis attaches to the polymer and degrades it into into an intermediate substance called mono(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalic acid—MHET for short. From there, a second enzyme breaks the MHET into the two basic building blocks of PET.
Bacteria that can eat plastic
More of Today's Solutions
3 ways to get the most benefits out of your daily walk
During the pandemic, walking has become many people's new workout? With fitness facilities closed, people got a little more creative with how to stay ...
Read MoreThese ultra-low-cost batteries use CO2 to store renewable energy
While the price for lithium-ion batteries has dropped significantly in recent years, the technology is still a tad too expensive to be the best ...
Read More16 fun ways to celebrate Earth Day this year
Tomorrow, April 22nd, you can honor Earth Day by learning about your ecosystem and contributing to its health. Here are 16 great activities you ...
Read MoreCount, roll, and win! Why board games are experiencing a well-deserved revival
Board games are making a successful comeback in this age of screens and virtual realities. Nostalgia fans are ecstatic about the opportunity to recreate ...
Read More
