Fungi: A Sustainable Solution for Recycling Hard-to-Breakdown Plastics
In a world where plastic waste is piling up faster than we can manage it, scientists are looking for alternative solutions to curb the problem. One of the most exciting solutions is the use of fungi to break down hard-to-recycle plastics. A recent study from the University of Portsmouth, UK, has shown that species of fungi can be used to break down one of the most common types of plastic, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), into harmless byproducts. The researchers found that the fungi could break down PET in just two weeks, and the process of breaking down the plastic produced no toxic byproducts. This could be a game-changer for the plastic waste problem, as it could provide a way to safely recycle hard-to-recycle plastics.
source: Phys.org