Discover how a newly found enzyme may revolutionize plastic recycling, breaking down tough plastics like PET. Explore the potential of enzymes in recycling large amounts of plastic waste, including durable plastics like PET and nylon by 2025.
Chemical recycling with enzymes can break down strong plastics like PET, creating new plastic products.
Less than 10% of global plastic waste is recycled, introducing the need for more efficient recycling solutions.
Deep dives
Chemical Recycling: Turning Old Plastic into New
Chemical recycling is introduced as a groundbreaking solution to address the issue of plastic waste. Unlike mechanical recycling that results in lower quality products through downcycling, chemical recycling uses enzymes to break down plastic into basic building blocks, which are then used to create new plastic. The discovery of the enzyme LCC has shown promise in breaking down strong plastics like PET, potentially revolutionizing the recycling process.
Environmental Impact and Recycling Challenges
The podcast highlights the global issue of plastic pollution, with less than 10% of all plastic being recycled worldwide. The rest either gets incinerated, sent to landfills, or accumulates as waste. While efforts like mechanical recycling exist, they lead to downcycling, reducing the quality of the recycled plastic. The discovery of enzymes like LCC offers hope for a more efficient recycling process, aiming to recycle 50,000 tons of plastic waste annually by 2025.
Plastics can be difficult to recycle, could a recently discovered enzyme help? Neil and Beth discuss this and teach you some useful vocabulary.
TRANSCRIPT
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