These Microbes Gobble Up Plastic Waste Pollution
- Jan 1
- 1 min read
From trash to treasure.
STARTER STATS
19–23 million tonnes of plastic leak into ecosystems every year
Plastics can take centuries to completely degrade
Led by Dr. Marc Aucoin, a multidisciplinary engineering team at the University of Waterloo fuses synthetic biology, microbial engineering, and design to "eat up" plastic waste pollution.
The team is refining a natural enzyme that breaks down PET plastics, with the aim of spreading a plastic-eating gene among microbes in municipal wastewater, so plastics degrade before they enter natural ecosystems. Their computational models also show that microbes can use waste-based feedstocks to drive CO₂ conversion, tackling two pollution streams at once.
“We’re stepping out of our silos to advance sustainability. If we work together, we have a broader base to attack this issue.”
— Dr. Marc Aucoin
Biological recycling of this kind avoids harsh chemicals and is less energy intensive, making it more scalable. The team's method brings materials like rubber tires and elastic bands into the circular economy by making thermoset polymers and rubbers recyclable with only minimal manufacturing changes.
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