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Plastic-eating bacteria discovered by student could help solve global pollution crisis
Exclusive: Microbes found near plastic refinery degrade material, turning it into food
- Tom Embury-Dennis
- Independent
A student may have found a solution to one of the world’s most urgent environmental crises – breeding bacteria capable of “eating” plastic and potentially breaking it down into harmless by-products.
The microbes degrade polyethylene terephthalate (PET) – one of the world’s most common plastics, used in clothing, drinks bottles and food packaging.
It takes centuries to break down, in the meantime doing untold damage to its…