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Microorganisms harbor keys to a circular bioeconomy making them useful tools in fighting plastic pollution and rising CO2 levels
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Researchers argued that microorganisms, especially extremophiles (microbes that thrive in harsh conditions), hold the genetic blueprints needed to develop biotechnologies that can break down plastics and reduce carbon emissions. The paper calls for a major shift toward microbial biotechnology as a cornerstone of a sustainable circular economy that moves beyond fossil fuels and single-use plastics.
The major global and man-made challenges of our time are the fossil fuel-driven climate change a global plastic pollution and rapidly emerging plant, human and animal infections. To meet the necessary global changes, a dramatic transformation must take place in science and society. This transformation will involve very intense and forward oriented industrial and basic research strongly focusing on (bio)technology and industrial bioprocesses developments towards engineering a zero-carbon sustainable bioeconomy. Within this transition microorganisms-and especially extremophiles-will play a significant and global role as technology drivers. They harbor the keys and blueprints to a sustainable biotechnology in their genomes. Within this article, we outline urgent and important areas of microbial research and technology advancements and that will ultimately make major contributions during the transition from a linear towards a circular bioeconomy.
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This review summarizes research on using bacteria and other microorganisms, especially those from extreme environments, to break down plastic waste. While some organisms can partially degrade plastics using specialized enzymes, the process is still too slow to solve the pollution problem at scale. The research is a promising step toward biological solutions for reducing the massive buildup of microplastics in the environment.
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Researchers reviewed emerging biotechnological strategies — including bacterial, fungal, and enzymatic breakdown of plastics — as key tools for transitioning from a throwaway plastic economy to a circular one where plastics are biodegraded or recycled rather than discarded. They identify scalability and regulatory gaps as the main barriers to deploying these solutions at the global level needed to address plastic pollution.
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This review surveys how microbial genomics and biotechnology — including bioremediation, bioplastics, and agricultural bioproducts — can support a circular bioeconomy that minimizes waste accumulation and environmental pollution. Developing biodegradable bioplastics through microbial genomics is a key pathway to reducing persistent plastic waste that fragments into microplastics across ecosystems.
Plastic waste impact and biotechnology: Exploring polymer degradation, microbial role, and sustainable development implications
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Researchers reviewed how microorganisms and their enzymes can break down different types of plastic waste through both aerobic (oxygen-using) and anaerobic (oxygen-free) pathways. The review highlights biotechnological tools like genetic modification that could accelerate plastic biodegradation, supporting a shift toward a circular economy.
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