Earth found itself in the younger plastic age at the turn of the 21st century. However, there is a new bacterium that could significantly tackle this problem. Japanese scientists from Kyoto University discovered the bacterium Ideonella sakaiensis, which can break down PET bottles and other plastics. It also uses plastics as its main energy source, as well as a source of carbon. This is thus an "ideal" strain of bred bacterium that is capable of literally living off polyethylene terephthalate. How does it work? The Ideonella bacterium uses two enzymes for decomposition. First, it attaches to the plastic material, then releases the first of them. The affected substance breaks down and an intermediate product is formed. This is then further processed by the second enzyme. Only then does the bacterium obtain the desired carbon and energy from it. We at Greenhousing are fans of plastic devourers! red