“Recent success in reducing carrier bag (PE) and drinks bottles (PET) waste in Europe suggests lifestyle adjustments are possible, but plastic is ingrained in modern society and a future free from plastic seems unlikely. Complete alteration of human behaviour is difficult to attain, as indicated by the fact that only 9% of plastic waste is recycled3. Therefore in addition to these three solutions to the plastic waste problem (reducing, reusing and recycling), we need a fundamental change in order to make a noticeable impact on the plastic waste seeping into our environment. A new plastic future in which biodegradable polymers replace conventional plastics could be the answer.”
source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-04565-2
“Some bacteria think plastic is fantastic
Bacteria isolated from outside a bottle-recycling facility can break down and metabolize plastic. The proliferation of plastics in consumer products, from bottles to clothing, has resulted in the release of countless tons of plastics into the environment.
Yoshida et al. show how the biodegradation of plastics by specialized bacteria could be a viable bioremediation strategy (see the Perspective by Bornscheuer).
The new species. Ideonella sakaiensis, breaks down the plastic by using two
enzymes to hydrolyze PET and a primary reaction intermediate, eventually yielding basic building blocks for growth.”
Source: Science. p. 1196: See also p. 1154 – Bacteria found near a plastics recycling plant can degrade plastic
Source: https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution
Thanks www.trillionsgmbh.com for the sources