Plastic-eating mushroom
Some types of fungi have been found to be able to break down plastic. In 2011, students from the Yale university have found different types of fungi, that are capable of digesting a certain type of plastic even without oxygen. During the research, it has been discovered that it takes a few weeks to get rid of the plastic. This is a great discovery, as we know, that plastic can take hundreds of years to fully decompose. Another great thing about it, is that it can survive in different conditions, which can be especially helpful in certain landforms, like the ocean. Some of the fungi, after decomposing plastic parts, could still be eaten after the whole process. Using fungi to fight plastic waste can be an easier, cheaper alternative that we might use in the future, and some reports even say it can happen in about 5 to 10 years.
sources: https://www.treehugger.com/mushroom-that-eats-plastic-5121023
OdpowiedzUsuńhttps://edition.cnn.com/2018/09/12/uk/fungi-plastic-mushrooms-intl/index.html
https://www.kew.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/State%20of%20the%20Worlds%20Plants%20and%20Fungi%202020.pdf
https://www.colorado.edu/ecenter/2021/11/04/plastic-eating-mushrooms
If this method was used, it would also be more sustainable and clean compared to what we can do now.
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