Posted on 05/15/2018 11:00:57 AM PDT by TBP
One million plastic water bottles are sold every minute. Only 14 percent are recycled. The rest end up in landfill or in the ocean, taking years to decompose. Scientists have been working on an enzyme that can destroy all these bottles — and now they have succeeded by accident.
UK and US scientists discovered an enzyme in the soil of a plastic landfill. While researching the enzyme, they accidentally caused it to mutate and created an enzyme that can break down plastic much faster than landfills. Currently, plastic bottles can only be recycled into carpets or clothing but this new enzyme breaks down clear plastic bottles so that they can be remade into new bottles. This could eliminate the need to produce new plastic bottles.
Right now, it takes several days for the enzyme to start breaking down the plastic. But scientists believe they can speed up the process, now that they know the enzyme can be manipulated. In the future, the enzyme might be able to break down other types of plastics.
The process is far from perfect and may take years to perfect, but it brings the planet closer to reducing the sea of plastic waste.
The Andromeda Strain (1971)
A military jet crashes near Piedmont after the pilot radios that his plastic face mask is dissolving.
“What could possibly go wrong?”
How prophetic was THAT, eh ?
And they can assure us that this only an enzyme, and the bacteria it comes from won’t mutate, again, and will restrict itself to LDPE and HDPE...
WHAT COULD GO WRONG ?
MAN MADE MUTANT BACTERIA THAT ATE THE MODERN WORLD. IT EATS ANYTHING MADE OF OR INSULATED WITH PLASTIC INCLUDING ALL INSULATED WIRING.
WE’RE DOOMED, DOOMED I SAY.
SS1
Currently, plastic bottles can only be recycled into carpets or clothing but this new enzyme breaks down clear plastic bottles so that they can be remade into new bottles. This could eliminate the need to produce new plastic bottles.
Thanks TBP.
There was a bright flash and brief, instant heat.
We were left with a light ash covering our entire bodies.
“Proceed to Level 4.”
Good movie.
I read the 1972 book called the Plastic Eaters which featured the scenario of scientists creating an enzyme which breaks down plastic. I thought it was good - particularly the intricate way the author teased out all the possible ways civilization relies upon plastics and how things would break, stop working, fall apart. It starts slow with the impacts of awkward, minor plastics and snowballs with plastic failure across every aspect of our society.
On Amazon, here’s part of the desription: “Slowly they discover that science has unleashed a genetically engineered bacteria that feeds on (and destroys) all plastic materials.”
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0081RLFEY/ref=rdr_kindle_ext_tmb
I believe the premise was the bacteria was created to eliminate the problem with recycling plastic - but it’s been many moons since I’ve read it so I’m not sure.
I’ve seen this movie.
It doesn’t end well.....................
[How prophetic was THAT, eh ?]
Yep, from the days of metal dashboards. LOL
https://www.plasticseurope.org/en/about-plastics/what-are-plastics/how-plastics-are-made
Actually, I think the facemask (and a number of other critical airplane components) were described as a sort of synthtic rubber.
I loved that movie and the book.
If you let it loose on Nancy Pelosi, the only thing left would be her belt buckle.
What cynicism. With an assuredly high caliber of work and corporations devoted to excellence in safety, this will be exquisitely monitored. What corporation would ever even consider sacrificing quality for profit, or hiring less than the most qualified people to meet quotas or obtain cheaper labor? Besides that, there will be government safeguards. We know our politicians can't be bought off to loosen rules at the request of the occasional deep pocket donor with ulterior motives.
I feel as confident about this as I do about self-driving cars. I have as much trust in what I'm told about its safety as I do in mainstream media to be honest and objective.
Ingestion should generate some interesting results!
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