Will an Enzyme That Eats Plastic Solve Our Pollution Problem?

[Cosmodi]

Scientists have created a mutant enzyme that breaks down plastic drinks bottles – by accident.

Do you think it will help? How fast it can be implemented worldwide?

 

[Borg]

A link would be nice.

 

[Cosmodi]

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...reate-mutant-enzyme-that-eats-plastic-bottles

 

[Borg]

It is an interesting discovery but, I wouldn't get my hopes up that it would be used on a global scale any time soon (at least 10+ years). It is still in the examination phase and it wouldn't be cheaper than just making more plastic from oil. Even if it was cheaper to recycle with this today, it would still have to be tested thoroughly - which takes time.

 

[epenguin]

A link would be nice.

http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2018/04/16/1718804115

 

[256bits]

Scientists have created a mutant enzyme that breaks down plastic drinks bottles – by accident.

Do you think it will help? How fast it can be implemented worldwide?

I think they found and investigated a bacterium in a Japanese waste dump that was living off plastic, if I recall correctly.
The enzyme doing the "chewing" was enhanced by the scientists to speed up the process.

Do we want this world wide? In the wild? Certain durable goods might not be so durable anymore.
PET is already recycled.

PS. Britain has plans on prohibiting plastic drinking and stirring straws. Not sure if those are PET, but it sure is a step along the way into eliminating single use packaging and products that have entered the market.

 

[epenguin]

Do we want this world wide? In the wild? Certain durable goods might not be so durable anymore.
PET is already recycled.

It's an enzyme, not a bacterial him or other organism. So I don't think more than limited accidents could arise.

Makes you think though. For about 3/4 of a century sensitive things like signals and other electrical cables have been insulated bye various polymer substances, and I don't suppose hardly anyone ever gave a thought they could be attacked by organisms. Once such organisms evolve evolve they'd find plentiful food and should spread like anything! This story shows that they will involve independent of human help. Plus they could also get some human help . To produce this enzyme its gene is engineered into cells which would be cultivated Industrially. With small probability at any time, but a larger one over a larger time, these cells would escape, and then with same small but over time large probability, the relevant gene might get transferred into other cells that could spread and this gene get further improved by natural selection on a large scale. So surely some precautions should be taken, it's early days right now.