Mushrooms that eat plastic?

Humans have produced about 9 billion tons of plastic since the 1950s, only 9% of which has been recycled. The remaining has accumulated in landfills or the ocean.

To help solve this huge problem called the environmental crisis, researchers are now looking at alternative methods for plastic reduction. One of these solutions comes in the form of a certain mushroom species with the ability to consume polyurethane, one of the main ingredients in plastic products.

If we can find a way to harness the power of these plastic-eating mushrooms, some scientists believe that these natural composters could be the key to cleaning up our planet.

What do scientists say?

The vast fungi kingdom could play a vital role in tackling the planet’s problem with plastic = the alarming plastic issue. A report by Kew Gardens showed a study on a waste site in Islamabad revealed a fungus in the soil was quickly breaking down plastic. It can take decades, even hundreds of years, for some plastics to degrade, but the fungi in Islamabad took just two months to biodegrade polyester polyurethane (PU) plastic. 

The fungi digests by secreting enzymes and absorbing the dissolved organic matter back into cells. It's encouraging research, and there are stories like this from around the world. In 2011, Yale students made headlines when they discovered a fungus in Ecuador that has the ability to digest and break down polyurethane plastic, even in an air-free (anaerobic) environment. That means it might even be effective at the bottom of landfills.



There was also an interesting collaboration between Utrecht University and Katharina Unger of LIVIN Studio, where edible fungi were grown around plastic. As the fungi grew, they would break down and digest the plastic material. Incredibly, the fungi remained completely edible even after digesting the plastic.

The fungi digests by secreting enzymes and absorbing the dissolved organic matter back into cells. It's encouraging research, and there are stories like this from around the world. In 2011, Yale students made headlines when they discovered a fungus in Ecuador that has the ability to digest and break down polyurethane plastic, even in an air-free (anaerobic) environment. That means it might even be effective at the bottom of landfills.

There was also an interesting collaboration between Utrecht University and Katharina Unger of LIVIN Studio, where edible fungi were grown around plastic. As the fungi grew, they would break down and digest the plastic material. Incredibly, the fungi remained completely edible even after digesting the plastic.

So, did we find a solution?
Sadly, the problem is vast and much more research and funding are needed to make it a commercially viable reality. But there is real hope about this exciting starting point and the potential for fungi to be a genuine help in the fight against plastic waste.



Of course, we should still reduce our plastic consumption as much as possible and replace it with sustainable alternatives! The best plastic bag is the one that is not produced.

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