Plastic-Eating Bacteria Discovered

Mar-11-16 Japanese researchers have discovered a new bacterium able to break down plastics in just a few weeks.

The bacterium was discovered by the team after five years of sifting through debris samples from outside a PET recycling plant. The bacterium, which they have named Ideonella sakaiensis, is able to digest plastic and break it down into two harmless components. Although other “plastic eating” bacteria have been identified in the past, the Ideonella sakaiensis stands out in that the team has identified the enzymes the bacteria uses to break down the PET material, which means the enzymes can be recreated in the lab.

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