Every year, millions of tons of plastics are produced, but only a small percentage can be recycled. And now Japanese researchers have discovered a new bacterium that literally eats plastic.
The bacterium can break down one common form of plastic known as PET, into its chemical building blocks. PET is a widely used form of plastic that's made of two simple components.
However, until now no single organism was found which could break it down. Using the bacteria can save landfill space, oil, and energy, not to mention the environment.
Right now, it takes six weeks for the newly discovered bacteria to recycle the plastic. But scientists are working on ways to speed up the process.