Scientists in Japan have discovered a strain of bacteria that can eat plastic, a finding that might help solve the world’s fast-growing plastic pollution problem.
The species fully breaks down one of the most common kinds of plastic called Polyethylene terephthalate (PET). It’s the type often used to package bottled drinks.
The findings, which were published in the academic journal ‘Science‘ on Friday, say that “Ideonella sakaiensisbreaks down the plastic by using two enzymes to hydrolyze PET and a primary reaction intermediate, eventually yielding basic building blocks for growth.”
According to the World Economic Forum, Almost a third of all plastic packaging escapes collection systems and ends up in nature or clogging up infrastructure.
If this works, then definitely it is good news for the environment.
