Scientists Developed an Enzyme which can Breakdown Plastic in Mere Hours
Scientists Developed an Enzyme which can Breakdown Plastic in Mere Hours by Suzanna Hayek | May 2, 2022 Scientists at the University of Texas at Austin ( UT Austin ) have developed an enzyme that could break down plastic, which takes centuries to decompose, in a matter of hours. The research is based on a commonly used polymer found in consumer packaging (PET plastic), such as containers, bottles, fruit and vegetable packaging. It is also found in some fibres and textiles and makes up 12% of waste worldwide. Potentially the enzyme could be a game-changer, enabling large-scale recycling which could help major industries recover and reuse plastics at the molecular level to reduce their environmental impact. “The possibilities are endless across industries to leverage this leading-edge recycling process,” said Hal Alper, professor in the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering at UT Austin. “Beyond the obvious waste management industry, this also provides corporations from ever