Enzyme That Eats Plastic Accidentally Found in Lab
Evidenced by the large patches of plastic floating in the seas and trash lined highways, to put it bluntly, we have a problem with plastic pollution. Due to recent scientific discovery of a plastic-degrading enzyme, it seems as though we may have a “solution”. I quote solution, because although this enzyme may help with current plastic pollution, to really take control of the plastic issue, we need to decrease plastic production and plastic consumption. Plastic was once a monumental discovery, and now it is big news that we may have found a way to take back this process that has transformed our daily activities and convenience. It is definitely necessary to decrease the amount of pollution currently floating free in our environment, and this enzyme could be a key player in this process, and to ensure a clean future, we need to decrease our usage of plastic. Not only does the plastic itself have detrimental effects on the environment, plastic production involves the use of fossil fuels, which produces another source of pollution. As incredible as scientific innovation can be (it did bring us plastic in the first place!), sometimes we need to think simply and go back to the source of the issue. If we decrease plastic production, eventually, the need for enzymes to break down plastic will not be necessary. In the meantime, the potential for this enzyme to help clean our beloved oceans is exciting, and could lead to a healthier, happier, blue planet.
