Scientists in Germany have recently identified fungi with a surprising appetite for plastic, offering a potential breakthrough in the fight against the tonnes of waste polluting our planet each year.
The need for solutions like these is more pressing than ever, with 390 million tonnes of plastic produced worldwide in 2021, according to data from the Plastics Europe association. Moreover, despite improved recycling rates – less than 10 per cent of plastic waste is recycled globally.
Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries researchers – led by Hans-Peter Grossart – discovered that certain microfungi could thrive on synthetic polymers as their only carbon source.
However, while this discovery is promising, the research team says it’s only a “small piece of the puzzle” when it comes to addressing plastic pollution on a global scale.
“The most surprising finding of our work is that our fungi could exclusively grow on some of the synthetic polymers and even form biomass,” Grossart told Reuters TV.
While these findings are remarkable, he pointed out that these plastic-destroying microbes are unlikely to provide a complete solution to the world’s plastic problem.
Instead, they could potentially be used in controlled environments, such as sewage treatment plants, where their ability to degrade certain types of plastic could be effectively utilised.
Out of the 18 fungal strains studied, four were particularly effective at breaking down plastics, especially polyurethane, which is commonly used in construction foam.
However, other materials, such as polyethylene (found in plastic bags and packaging), were slower to degrade. The most challenging plastics to break down were microplastics from tyre abrasion, primarily due to additives like heavy metals.
Grossart believes that the fungi’s ability to “eat” plastic is an adaptation to the overwhelming presence of plastic in the environment.
However, he notes that the effectiveness of these fungi is highly dependent on external conditions such as temperature and the availability of micronutrients.
“We should definitely try to release as little plastic as possible into the environment,” Grossart stressed.
“Plastic is made from fossil carbon, and if the mushrooms break it down, it’s no different to us burning oil or gas and releasing CO2 into the atmosphere.”
