Plastic-Eating Bacteria: Can nature solve our waste crisis?
- Seoyoung Kang
- Sep 16
- 2 min read
Sep 16, 2025
Seoyoung Kang
Have you ever heard of bacteria that eat plastic? Most of us probably haven’t. Plastic-eating bacteria, such as Ideonella sakaiensis, are microorganisms capable of breaking down certain types of plastic, like PET(polyethylene terephthalate), by using them as a food source for energy. These bacteria were first discovered in Japan in 2016. However, their natural rate of degradation is quite slow, which means significant engineering and further research are still needed before they can become practical solutions for the global plastic waste problem.
How these bacteria (Idonella sakaiensis) work is quite simple. Ideonella sekaiensis uses a two-enzyme system to break down PET. The first enzyme breaks down solid PET plastic into smaller molecules. A second enzyme, then breaks these smaller molecules into their basic building blocks, which the bacteria can absorb and use as energy.
Scientists are now exploring ways to enhance the efficiency of these bacteria. Genetic engineering, protein design, and synthetic biology are being used to improve the activity of the enzymes, so they can break down plastic faster and in larger quantities. In fact, some research groups have already developed “super enzymes” by combining and modifying the natural ones, significantly boosting the rate of plastic degradation.
Despite these promising advances, challenges remain. The bacteria are currently only effective on certain plastics like PET, while many other types, such as polyethylene and polypropylene, still resist degradation. Additionally, scaling up this process from laboratory experiments to real-world waste management systems will require careful consideration of cost, safety, and environmental impacts. Nevertheless, the discovery of Ideonella sakaiensis has opened an exciting new path toward more sustainable waste solutions.
