Summery Reader Respond Draft 3

 

In the article “Plastic-eating Enzyme Could Eliminate Billions of Tons of Landfill Waste” (UT News, 2022), Scientists from the University of Texas at Austin have discovered a plastic-eating enzyme that could potentially eliminate tons of plastic waste and a step forward in conserving our environment. The enzyme, Ideonella Sakaiensis, has the ability to break down one of the most commonly used plastics, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), within 24 hours. It was first discovered in a recycling centre located in Japan, which was modified to become more efficient in breaking down plastic. As more time is put into further development, researchers are optimistic that the enzyme can be used on a wider scale during the industrial recycling process. Although PET is used everywhere around us, it is not biodegradable and takes beyond a human’s lifespan to break down. This leads to an abundance of environmental issues and plastic waste accumulated on the planet. There are still plans to continue improving the enzyme to use in breaking down more variety of plastics and much more efficiently. Plastic pollution is a growing concern in our world, with billions of tons of plastic waste generated annually and much of it ending up in the oceans, causing harm to marine life and the ecosystem.

PETase has shown great potential in playing a huge part in the continuous ongoing battle against global warming by reducing the time required for plastic degradation, therefore leading to a decrease of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The enzymes are still in continuous development to increase their beneficial properties too. However, there are also concerns about the enzymes that may pose a threat when consumed by wildlife.

Plastic contains toxic pollutants that damage our environment by causing land, water and air pollution. The effects are long-lasting as it takes years beyond human life for it to break down (EarthEclipse’s Editorial Staff, 2022). Furthermore, The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) estimates that around 7 billion tons of plastic produced between 1950 and 2017 became plastic waste. The harmful chemicals will impact human health, particularly in children exposed to micro- and nano-plastics more frequently (Miller, 2022). However, with the help of PETase, plastic that takes years to decompose can be fully degraded within a week, day or a couple of hours (Wong, 2022). With the help of PETase, plastics will now be able to decompose at a faster rate than natural decomposition, which then minimises the probability of children being exposed to the chemicals.

Many scientific efforts have been put into developing improved versions of bacteria and enzymes. In 2018, British scientists modified the bacteria to work faster and on a wider range of plastics. Further developments allowed for creation of a “bacteria package” that could work on multiple materials. The goal is to create a super-enzyme that can decompose plastics and make them recyclable and reusable. In 2020, French company Corbios released an enzyme that could degrade 90% of PET bottles within 10 hours, but only at high temperatures. British scientists later developed an enzyme that works quickly and at room temperature, making plastic-eating bacteria a viable alternative to other recycling methods (RTS - Recycle Track Systems, 2021). This would strongly suggest that as more time and resources are invested, the enzymes will eventually be a feasible method to decompose plastic and reduce plastic pollution.

However, research studies have shown that releasing toxic by-products during the degradation process could harm the environment more than the plastic waste itself, and these by-products are untested in the background. Additionally, the separation of decomposed plastic monomers from other substances adds to the cost and time involved in breaking down the plastic, making the process less commercially viable (RTS - Recycle Track Systems, 2021). The enzymes may not necessarily be the perfect solution as animals will also consume them accidentally, causing harm more than save.

Overall, the discovery of PETase and the ongoing development of plastic-eating bacteria and enzymes show great promise in the fight against plastic pollution. These efforts have the potential to significantly reduce the time required for plastic degradation and the impact of plastic waste on the environment and human health. However, there are concerns about the release of toxic by-products during the degradation process and the cost and time involved in separating decomposed monomers. Further research is necessary to ensure the safety and feasibility of using plastic-eating enzymes in real-world applications.

References: 

EarthEclipse’s Editorial Staff. (2022, July 20). Plastic Waste: Environmental Effects of Plastic Pollution. Earth Eclipse. https://eartheclipse.com/environment/environmental-effects-plastic-pollution.html

Miller, A. (2022, September 30). AI-Engineered Plastic-Eating Enzyme Could Be the Solution to Plastic Pollution. Earth.Org. https://earth.org/plastic-eating-enzyme/

RTS - Recycle Track Systems. (2021, May 19). Plastic Eating Bacteria – Can it Work? | RTS. Recycle Track Systems. https://www.rts.com/blog/plastic-eating-bacteria-a-new-solution-for-plastic-waste-or-just-science-fiction/

Wong, D. J. (2022, June 3). This enzyme can break down hazardous plastic waste in just a matter of hours. Mashable SEA. https://sea.mashable.com/life/20454/it-usually-takes-years-to-break-down-plastic-this-enzyme-can-do-it-in-a-day