Plastic pollution is a serious environmental problem, with an estimated 100 million tons of plastic produced each year, and only a small fraction of that being recycled. Plastic can take hundreds of years to decompose, and in the meantime, it can cause a variety of problems for wildlife, including entanglement, ingestion, and poisoning.

Microorganisms offer a potential solution to plastic pollution. Some bacteria and fungi are able to break down the chemical bonds that hold plastic polymers together, converting them into harmless molecules that can be reused or recycled.

One of the most promising plastic-degrading microorganisms is a bacterium called Ideonella sakaiensis. This bacterium was discovered in 2016 in a compost heap in Japan. I. sakaiensis is able to break down PET, a type of plastic that is used in a wide variety of products, including bottles, food containers, and clothing.

Another promising plastic-degrading microorganism is a fungus called Aspergillus tubingensis. This fungus is able to break down PLA, a type of plastic that is made from renewable resources, such as corn starch and sugarcane. PLA is biodegradable, but it can take several years to decompose in the environment. A. tubingensis could help to speed up the decomposition of PLA, making it a more environmentally friendly alternative to other types of plastic.

Several other strains of fungi and bacterial species have been discovered to have similar plastic-degrading abilities.

Microorganisms could potentially be used to develop new technologies for recycling plastic. For example, plastic-degrading microorganisms could be used to break down plastic waste into its component molecules, which could then be reused to make new plastic products. This would help to reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills and oceans.

Overall, microorganisms offer a promising solution to the problem of plastic pollution.