Enzymes to make plastics disappear

Synthetic polymers have been on the planet for only about a century. But because of their strength, light weight, convenience, and low cost compared with other materials, these plastics have captured such a presence in humans’ daily lives that the world is overrun with the waste they create. A century is a wisp of time on an evolutionary scale, however, and nature hasn’t had the chance to catch up with the new materials. Microorganisms will digest a paper bag discarded in the woods in a matter of months. In contrast, a plastic bag will persist for decades, eventually shredding and disintegrating in the wind and sun, and forming microplastics that turn up on mountaintops and even in our blood. Better waste management and less use of plastics might slow the accumulation. Substituting biodegradable, biobased plastics for fossil fuel–based plastics could also help, but they have many years to go before