Could these plastic-eating enzymes be the miracle solution to our plastic problem?
Summary
Now, researchers from Hitachi and Cambridge Consultants , an engineering and product development company, plan to use synthetic biology to manufacture a similar plastic-eating enzyme. It could later be used in recycling plants or in the environment—and potentially even in the ocean, where as much as 12.7 million metric tons of plastic ends up every year. Around the world, several research projects are exploring the potential of enzymes, the part of the microorganisms responsible for digesting the plastic, to help. Major corporations including PepsiCo and Nestlé are now partnering with the company, which plans to begin building its first demonstration plant this fall. Working in the environment is a more complicated proposition, as the team would have to prove that it can happen without any negative consequences and get regulatory approval.