Two types of fungi successfully biodegraded a ‘hard to recycle’ plastic, and Australian scientists think this might be the key to reducing plastic pollution around the world!
Sydney, Australia (18 April, 2023) — A cleaner world with a lot less plastic could be on the cards thanks to an incredible discovery by scientists at the University of Sydney. Cracking (and snacking) down on the plastic problem, the scientists found that two unsuspecting heroes from the fungi family could do something groundbreaking.
The types of fungi tested were able to ‘make a meal’ of plastic that’s generally considered tough to recycle, biodegrading it successfully!
Is Life in Plastic Really Fantastic?
Said tough and stubborn plastic—polypropylene—is found in lots of bottles, disposable coffee cups, many types of clothing and handbags, as well as toys. Its resilience and endurance may have made it desirable before people were environmentally conscious, but now those same ‘winning’ properties have revealed it to be a headache for the planet.
In fact, according to Science Daily, it was one of the most abundant types of microplastic found in Mediterranean coastal waters. It makes up 28% of world plastic waste, yet only 1% is recycled, as the University of Sydney shares.
The Unsuspecting Heroes
Dubbing polypropylene recycling’s ‘head-scratching riddle’, researchers set out to find solutions, following promising recent research.
They turned to two types of fungi found in soil and plants (Aspergillus terreus and Engyodontium) to see what the little guys could do. To their amazement, they found that both were able to break down the plastic after a little heat and time.
Overall, the plastic was reduced by 21% over 30 days, and in greater percentages over a longer time period.
Why It’s a Big, Small Victory
If the process can be replicated and expanded, we might have natural solutions to a cleaner earth. The tonnes of plastic pollution that might surpass fish in the sea today could be a distant memory tomorrow.
“We are quite excited about this and have started looking at different ways to improve the degradation process using these microorganisms. Watch this space.” — Amira Farzana, PhD student at the University of Sydney’s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.
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Meanwhile, The Ocean Project also recently celebrated a victory in the fight against plastic; removing 200 000 kgs of the stuff from the Pacific!
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