A group of engineers and scientists at The University of Texas
at Austin discovered a modified enzyme called FAST-PETase and tested it over 51
different types of plastic containers (UT NEWS, 2022). It allows plastics
recycling process at the molecular level by breaking down the consumed plastic molecule
into small parts to reform then reuse again in just short hours to days.
(Nature, 2022).
The project mainly focuses on polyethylene terephthalate
(PET), a significant polymer found in most consumer packaging (Nature, 2022)
which makes up 12% of all global waste and doesn’t degrade over centuries. Through the research and machine learning
model, the demonstration results reveal a huge improvement after 15 years of research
on enzymes for plastic recycling. FAST-PETase ables to degrade the consumed
plastics at low ambient temperature which exciting the research teams aiming
for cleaning up landfills and greening high waste-producing industries at soon
and near future.
Compared to traditional ways to cut down on plastics waste
such as burning, landfill, or alternative industrial processes which are
generally not environmentally friendly yet at a high cost, the biological
solutions proven take less energy, more affordable and efficient at large
industrial scale use. However, my opinion is, the best cure to treat plastic pollution is
always from prevention and less use in plastic but not only through the huge
efforts to eliminate the used plastic waste.
According to the trade association Plastics Europe, worldwide
plastic production grew from some 1.5 million metric tons (about 1.7 million
short tons) per year in 1950 to an estimated 275 million metric tons (about 303
million short tons) by 2010 and 359 million metric tons (nearly 396 million
short tons) by 2018; between 4.8 million and 12.7 million metric tons (5.3
million and 14 million short tons) are discarded into the oceans annually by
countries with ocean coastlines. (Moore, Charles, 2023). Not counting the
amount which is left on the land yet.
These figures raised the global worries if our future
generations will be doomed by plastic waste one day. Not to say the impacts of
plastic pollution on the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature loss
and pollution are a catastrophe in the making, the UN agency said, with
exposure to plastics harming human health, and potentially
affecting fertility, hormonal, metabolic and neurological activity, while
open burning of plastics contributes to air pollution. (UN NEWS 2022). The
increasing numbers in plastic waste globally is far speedy than its treatment
and solution, such as the discovery of the FAST-PETase plastic eating enzyme
which taken about 15 years’ time in research history.
“Plastic pollution has grown into an epidemic. With today’s
resolution we are officially on track for a cure.” Said by Espen Barth Eide,
the President of the Assembly, and Norway’s Minister for Climate and the
Environment. (UN NEWS, 2022)
Awareness of the serious consequences of plastic pollution is
increasing globally, and new solutions, including the increasing use of
biodegradable plastics and a “zero waste” philosophy, are being embraced by
governments and the public. (Laura Parker, 2022) This is already a global problem;
thus, we need a global solution to solve it. One nation’s regulations do not
prevent another nation’s waste from reaching its shores.
It resulted a legal binding instrument started in year 2022
and expected to end by year 2024 established internationally, which would
reflect diverse alternatives to address the full lifecycle of plastics, the
design of reusable and recyclable products and materials, and the need for
enhanced international collaboration to facilitate access to technology, to
allow the revolutionary plan to be realized. (UN NEWS, 2022) According to UN
Environment Programme (UNEP), this legal binding which worked by an Intergovernmental
Negotiating Committee (INC) formed from various nation aim to share knowledge
and best practices in different parts of the world.
In conclusion, with the efforts supported by countries and
governments globally, plastic pollution awareness believed will increase tremendously
among families and individuals around the world. On one hand, we should be able
to reduce the production or generation of plastic wastage. On the other hand, scientists
and researchers are continuing to discover powerful plastic enzymes or other
more efficient plastic treatment solutions. We should believe that one day
later plastic use will not become a global threat to our beloved Earth and peoples
anymore.
It is very clear that plastic solution can never be a few
years pause but may take decades into a perfect solution to prevent our Earth
ecosystem collapse.
References :
UT NEWS. (2022, Apr 27). Plastic eating enzyme could eliminate billions of tons of landfill. https://news.utexas.edu/2022/04/27/plastic-eating-enzyme-could-eliminate-billions-of-tons-of-landfill-waste/#:~:text=Apr%2027%2C%202022-,Plastic%2Deating%20Enzyme%20Could%20Eliminate%20Billions%20of%20Tons%20of%20Landfill,matter%20of%20hours%20to%20days
Lu, H., Diaz, D.J., Czarnecki, N.J. et al. Machine learning-aided engineering of hydrolases for PET depolymerization. Nature 604, 662–667 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04599-z
UN NEWS. (2022, March 2). Nations sign up to end global scourge of plastic pollution. https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/03/1113142
Laura Parker. (2022, March 3). The world’s nation agree to fix the plastic waste crisis. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/world-nations-agree-to-fix-the-plastic-waste-crisis
Moore, Charles. (2023, Jan 5). Plastic pollution. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/plastic-pollution.
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