plactic has become the major problem for us as it is in-biodegradable so cause the pollution. It is the main cause of pollution,as plastic does not breakdown on a reasonable timescale. so need a quick solution for it , otherwise it may hamper our world indirectly or may be directly !!!
And here is the sucess!!
Students from Yale discovered a new type of fungus, called Pestalotiopsis microspora, while on aRainforest Expedition and Laboratory trip to the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador. While there, the students were tasked with collecting microorganism and plant cell samples, and the fungus became one such sample.
When the students returned, it was discovered this fungus loves eating plastic, more specificallypolyurethane, which we use millions of tons of every year. Popular uses include foam for inside furniture, building insulation and flooring, as a sealant, varnish, or paint, for making surfboards and inflatable boats, and it even gets used to make watch straps and garden hoses.
The fungus is able to grow on polyurethane in both oxygen-filled and oxygen-free environments. It then breaks the plastic down into liquid or solid forms. And because it doesn’t require oxygen to eat, it’s possible Pestalotiopsis microspora could work at biodegrading the plastic buried deep within our landfills around the world. It could also provide a new solution for dealing with plastic before it reaches the landfill.
World consumption of plastics, 2005-2015, and Europe
In thousands of metric tons
In thousands of metric tons
Plastics | World 2005 | AARG W % | World 2015 | Europe 2005 | AARGEU % | Europe 2015 |
Commodity | 189350 | 6,3 | 349350 | 42870 | 2,6 | 55425 |
PVC | 29000 | 4 | 43000 | 7000 | 1 | 7700 |
PELD /LLD | 39000 | 5 | 63000 | 7600 | 3 | 10200 |
PEHD | 28600 | 5 | 47000 | 6400 | 2 | 7800 |
PP | 42000 | 10 | 109000 | 9500 | 4 | 14000 |
PS | 12000 | 3 | 16000 | 2750 | 1 | 3000 |
EPS | 3700 | 6 | 7500 | 1270 | 3 | 1700 |
ABS | 6900 | 5 | 11300 | 850 | 2 | 1030 |
Other styrenics & alloys | 800 | 5 | 1300 | 150 | 3 | 200 |
PET bottles | 8500 | 10 | 22000 | 2500 | 5 | 4000 |
PET films and other | 2250 | 3 | 3000 | 500 | 2 | 610 |
PUR | 10800 | 5 | 17600 | 2900 | 2 | 3500 |
PMMA | 1200 | 5 | 1950 | 350 | 1 | 390 |
UP | 2500 | 4 | 3700 | 700 | 2 | 850 |
Thermoset moldings | 1000 | 4 | 1500 | 150 | 1 | 170 |
Epoxy | 1100 | 3 | 1500 | 250 | 1 | 275 |
Engineering | 6880 | 7,7 | 14390 | 1990 | 4,5 | 3100 |
PA | 2500 | 7 | 4900 | 750 | 4 | 1100 |
PC, including in alloys | 2600 | 9 | 6200 | 700 | 6 | 1250 |
POM | 760 | 7 | 1500 | 220 | 4 | 320 |
PBT PET | 670 | 7 | 1320 | 220 | 4 | 320 |
PPE PPO | 350 | 3 | 470 | 100 | 1 | 110 |
Specialty | 265 | 7,2 | 529 | 80 | 2,6 | 103 |
PTFE | 80 | 3 | 107 | 35 | 1 | 39 |
Other FP, PVDF | 40 | 7 | 80 | 11 | 2 | 13 |
PPS | 65 | 8 | 140 | 15 | 3 | 20 |
PSU | 22 | 7 | 43 | 6 | 3 | 8 |
PES, PPSU | 11 | 10 | 28 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
LCP | 27 | 12 | 84 | 5 | 7 | 10 |
PAEK PEEK | 2 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 2 |
PEI | 11 | 10 | 28 | 2 | 6 | 3 |
PI | 6 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
Other specialty | 1 | 7 | 2 | |||
Grand total | 196495 | 6,4 | 364269 | 44940 | 2,7 | 58628 |
Source: Updated estimates from Pardos Marketing, from study Plastics in the world 2005-2015