Chinese scientists create 'living plastic' that destroys itself on command

Plastic pollution is one of the world's biggest environmental problems, and Chinese scientists have found a unique solution to it. They have developed a plastic that they call 'living plastic' because it contains bacteria that release enzymes that break down plastic when needed. Most importantly, this plastic does not leave dangerous microplastics when it is destroyed.

According to the study, published in the journal ACS Applied Polymer Materials, two strains of the common bacteria Bacillus subtilis can completely destroy this plastic in just 6 days. This is also unusual because ordinary plastic can exist in the environment for hundreds of years.

Zhujun Dai, the author of the study, says that the idea came when he thought that most plastic is used for a few moments or days, but this material remains in the environment for centuries. Couldn't a system for its elimination be built into the plastic itself? And this question gave rise to this invention. According to him, now sustainability, which was previously an issue, can become a programmable feature, meaning you will be able to decide when this plastic will end.

If this technology is widely used, it could prove to be a major weapon in the fight against environmental pollution.