Plastic Pollution
Scientists have recently stumbled upon a solution to the plastic pollution amidst the growing piles of plastic garbage.
An enzyme was recently discovered in Japan plastic recycling centre that shows its ability to digest plastic materials.
Scientists suggest that the enzyme has evolved into eating plastic particles specifically polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The enzyme helps fasten the degradation process that would normally take hundreds of years if left unattended.
This would create a viable solution to the plastic pollution problem that the world is currently facing. The enzyme will help to digest plastic wastes into manageable smaller participles that will allow them to be easily recycled more effectively.
Only a fraction of recycled water bottles are recycled into other products such as polyester clothings and water bottles. Most of them end up in landfills without being recycled.
Recycling plastic is a complicated procedure that requires a lot of time and money, and most companies would rather make new plastics rather than reuse the plastic materials.
The enzyme will make recycling more attractive again by breaking down plastic materials into manageable particles to be easily recycled. This cuts costs and time for companies seeking to incorporate recycling into their business models.
Scientists are working on engineering the enzyme to break the plastic materials faster and more effectively.
It is still not known what would be the complications if the enzyme is mass produced, or released into natural environment without active human observation.
Related posts
