Each year humanity produces roughly 400 million tons of plastic, 80% of which is discarded as trash. Of that plastic waste, only one-tenth is recycled. 60% gets incinerated or goes into the landfills, and 30% leaks out into the environment. Fortunately, there are microbes that may be able to take a bite out of this growing problem. Tierney Thys and Christian Sardet explore the future of recycling. [Directed by Elsa Esteban, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Salil Bhayani, cAMP Studio].

Tierney Thys and Christian Sardet: Meet the microbes that could eat your trash

Meet the microbes that could eat your trash

Microbes, invisible yet omnipresent, have yet to conquer the frontier of plastic degradation, posing a challenge for waste management.

The discovery of enzymes capable of digesting PET plastics heralds a hopeful future for tackling the persistent issue of plastic waste.

Innovative bioengineering efforts aim to create super-enzymes for faster plastic breakdown, pushing the boundaries of PET recycling.