Plastic-Eating Bacteria: Lab to Landfill Revolution
Scientists have engineered bacteria that can digest plastic waste by breaking down PET polymers into reusable monomers, enabling infinite recycling cycles instead of the typical three to five. Pilot plants are already processing hundreds of tons of plastic annually, with costs now lower than producing virgin plastic. While the technology promises to transform waste management, landfills, and ocean cleanup, deployment faces ecological risks, regulatory hurdles, and the challenge of scaling enz...
