18 Jan 2022 --- Swedish researchers recently discovered that plastic-degrading enzymes are increasing in correlation with plastic pollution in the world’s natural environment. PackagingInsights sits down with Aleksej Zelezniak, associate professor at Chalmers University, Sweden, to discuss how these discoveries could be utilized by the packaging and waste management industries to tackle pollution. By analyzing DNA samples from across the globe, including soils, oceans and seas, the research group at Chalmers University identified 30,000 enzyme sequences with a potential to degrade plastic, including plastic bags. “What was especially interesting to see was the diversity of these plastic-invented enzymes positively correlated with the amounts of reported plastic pollution and non-recycled plastic waste,” explains Zelezniak.The study focuses on all major pollutants, including polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA).
