Scientists have reported a promising way to significantly accelerate the decomposition of one of the most common types of plastic.
In trials, modified polyethylene and polypropylene — materials used to make a huge amount of packaging, bags, and household items — decomposed in soil by more than 90% in approximately 269–292 days.
This is particularly impressive because ordinary plastic of this type can persist in the environment for decades.
How it works
The researchers added a special component to the plastic that makes the material more accessible to natural biodegradation processes.
As a result, soil microorganisms begin to break down the plastic's structure much more efficiently and gradually process it.
This is precisely why this technology is sometimes figuratively described as turning plastic into "food" for microorganisms.
What about safety?
Scientists tested how the material affects living organisms.
The tests conducted found no noticeable harmful effects on earthworms, plants, and certain aquatic organisms. This is an important result because simply breaking down plastic does not automatically make the technology eco-friendly — it is necessary to ensure that no dangerous substances are formed in the process.
But the plastic problem is not yet solved
Despite the impressive results, the study should still be viewed as a very promising step, rather than a final solution.
The results must be independently verified by other research groups. Furthermore, it is important to test how the technology works in different types of soil, climatic conditions, and in mass production.
It is also necessary to ensure that the plastic truly biodegrades completely, rather than simply breaking down into a multitude of tiny particles.
Why this is still good news
Today, polyethylene and polypropylene are among the most common plastics on the planet. A significant portion of products made from them ends up in landfills or in the environment.
If the technology can be validated and scaled, it could become an additional tool in the fight against plastic pollution—especially for items that are difficult or economically unviable to recycle using traditional methods.
Plastic that previously could persist for decades could potentially be made to decompose in less than a year.
There is still a long way to go before mass adoption, but the result itself shows that even one of the most persistent forms of waste may not be as eternal as we are accustomed to thinking.
