Scientists discovered plastic-eating fungi that could help clean up the world’s oceans.
Here’s some good news for the fight against plastic pollution: Scientists in Germany have discovered fungi that can actually eat plastic. Researchers from the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in Berlin found microfungi capable of breaking down synthetic plastics, potentially giving us a new tool to tackle the massive amounts of waste that end up in oceans and landfills every year.
The research took place in Lake Stechlin, a freshwater lake in northeastern Germany. Scientists were surprised to find that certain types of fungi could survive on plastics as their only source of food. Lead researcher Hans-Peter Grossart explained, “The most surprising finding of our work is that our fungi could exclusively grow on some of the synthetic polymers and even form biomass.”
These fungi have adapted to their polluted environment, learning to exploit synthetic materials like polyurethane, a plastic commonly used in construction foam. Unlike other organisms that need extra nutrients to break down plastic, these fungi can handle the task without any additional help, making them particularly efficient.
Out of 18 strains studied, four stood out as being plastic-eating fungi, especially polyurethane. However, they struggled with other types of plastic, like polyethylene (used in plastic bags) and microplastics from tire wear, which often contain heavy metals that slow down decomposition.
While the idea of plastic-eating fungi sounds exciting, their efficiency depends heavily on the environment. Factors like temperature and available nutrients play a big role. For now, they’re more suited for controlled settings like waste treatment plants rather than natural environments like oceans or forests.
Grossart highlighted this limitation: “We should definitely try to release as little plastic as possible into the environment. Plastic is made from fossil carbon, and if the mushrooms break it down, it’s no different from us burning oil or gas and releasing CO2 into the atmosphere.”
Why does this matter? Plastic waste is a growing crisis. Since 1950, plastic production has exploded from 1.7 million tons to a staggering 400 million tons in 2022. Despite recycling efforts, only nine percent of plastic waste is recycled globally, according to the United Nations. The rest ends up polluting land, water, and even food supplies.
While biological solutions like plastic-eating fungi show promise, experts agree they’re not a magic fix. The fungi work slowly, and their impact is limited to specific conditions. Still, they could play an important role in waste management, especially for materials that are tough to recycle using traditional methods.
The discovery of plastic-eating fungi is just one piece of the puzzle. Over the years, scientists have identified hundreds of organisms capable of degrading plastics, including bacteria like Ideonella sakaiensis, discovered in Japan in 2016. This bacterium can digest polyethylene terephthalate (PET), often used in plastic bottles.
There’s also research into creating “self-digesting plastics” by embedding plastic-eating fungi or bacteria spores directly into the material during production. These innovations are promising, but they’re no substitute for reducing the overall use of plastic.
Professor Steve Fletcher, director of the Revolution Plastics Institute at the University of Portsmouth, summed it up well: “The most effective way of tackling pollution is to agree on legally binding global cuts in plastic production.”
What’s Next? World leaders are currently negotiating the first-ever global plastics treaty, with a final round of talks set for later this year in South Korea. The treaty aims to establish a clear plan for cutting plastic waste, tackling the problem at its source, and dealing with the pollution that’s already out there.
In the meantime, research into plastic-eating fungi continues, offering a glimmer of hope for tackling one of the planet’s most stubborn pollutants. While these fungi aren’t a standalone solution, they could become a valuable tool in the broader effort to manage and reduce plastic waste. Combined with global policies, innovation, and individual action, they might just help us turn the tide on plastic pollution.
What could possibly go wrong? “We should release as little into the environment as possible” – it’ll get into the environment, that’s guaranteed. And then eat everything that’s plastic. Goodbye cars, phones, computers, insulation, water pipes, water bottles, surgical tubing, etc. The only real answer is to stop single use plastic production, but instead, oil companies are trying to triple it.
The quote from the article actually says, “We should definitely try to release as little plastic as possible into the environment.” The scientist wasn’t talking about releasing the fungi into the environment