Is This Enzyme Evolving?

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These enzymes break down the plastic bags within a few hours. They can do it at room temperature and in water, not in any kind of harsh conditions. Wax may be sort of similar in some ways to plastic and therefore the larvae might be eating it - so that's why it's evolved. A lot of plants produce defensive chemicals when they're under attack, mostly females, and these enzymes are actually rather good at breaking down those as well. This discovery caused a bit of excitement because of course we aren't really dealing with our plastic waste very successfully.

Plastic pollution is damaging the health of the environment, wildlife and us. It has been found on remote islands, in Antarctic snow and in human blood, breast milk and lungs. Alongside rapidly reducing how much plastic we produce, we also need to find new ways to tackle the waste we have created. Madeleine Finlay speaks to the Guardian’s environment editor, Damian Carrington, about the discovery of an enzyme that can rapidly break down plastic bags – found inside the saliva of wax worms – and where else we might find solutions in the natural world. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod