Plastic problem podcast

Scientists and powerful people are working towards solutions for the global plastic crisis. Delegates are attempting to create a legally binding treaty to address the issue, aiming to end plastic pollution by 2040. Additionally, researchers are studying how to use microbes to break down plastics, but there are limitations to their effectiveness. Now that we know the dangers that plastics pose, we can think about the future solutions for this global epidemic. It could be motivating people to change their lifestyle to better the future of our ecosystem. Though these plastics pose a huge threat to our society, there are many things that powerful people are doing to help stop this global crisis. Oh yeah? What? One big thing that is happening right now is that some delegates in the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for Plastics are trying to create the first legally binding treaty about plastic solutions. Oh yeah, I heard about that. Angela Charlton and Jennifer McDermott said in their article Delicates Working to End Global Plastics Pollution agreed to craft a draft treaty. A coalition of high-ambition governments led by Norway and Rwanda, along with environmental groups, want to end plastic pollution altogether by 2040 by slashing production and limiting some chemicals used to make plastics. Another thing that scientists are trying to figure out is how to use microbes to degrade plastics. As many microbes have not been able to adapt enzymes to digest those plastics. In 2016, some Japanese scientists discovered Adianella succiensis 201-F6, a new bacterium that has two enzymes that were able to break down PET, and then some bioengineers were able to combine the two to create an enzyme that was able to break down PET polymers around six times faster. There were limits to this though, which restricted its effectiveness.