Plastic pollution is an evident environmental issue at present. The aggregation of petroleum-based plastics poses disastrous effects on wildlife, human health, and the environment.
Scientists from the Nara Institute of Science and Technology showed that a bacterium capable of degrading hard-to-recycle petroleum-based plastics can also sustainably produce more eco-friendly biodegradable plastics.
Petroleum-based plastics, including poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), are widely employed in day-to-day products, like textiles, single-use plastic bottles, and food wrappers. Even though these products are discarded quickly after use, they thrive in the environment for numerous years.
The plastic pollution resulting from the throw-away culture has now surpassed manageable levels and is overpowering the planet’s capability to deal with it. The environmental effects are now becoming highly obvious, with wildlife and human health threatened increasingly.
Decreasing the manufacture of unwanted single-use plastics and enhancing waste management systems will help alleviate the pollution problem. The dependence on the convenience of plastic products is unlikely to decrease any time soon.
Hence scientists are on the lookout for other approaches to “clean up” the more persistent plastics from the environment. Microorganisms may provide promising solutions in this aspect.
The recent observation is providing hope as it is applicable to two persisting issues for plastic sustainability: degrading the most persistent form of petroleum-based plastic and at the same time developing biodegradable plastics sustainably.
Provided the astonishing challenge of dealing with global plastic pollution, this new bacterial approach might be a vital part of the solution.
Tags: Bacteria, Pollution, Research