But now it has met its match! A fungus was discovered that will happily 'eat' plastic and can live on it alone. What's even better is that it can do so in anaerobic (oxygen free) environments—like at the bottom of a landfill.
The fungi, Pestalotiopsis microspora, are the first anyone has found to survive on a steady diet of polyurethane alone. It was discovered in the jungles of Ecuador by students from Yale University, while on the University's annual Rainforest Expedition and Laboratory.
Student Pria Anand recorded the fungi's amazing behavior and Jonathan Russell isolated the enzymes that allow it to 'eat' polyurethane. They published their findings, concluding the microbe is "a promising source of biodiversity from which to screen for metabolic properties useful for bioremediation."
We may soon have fields of fungi digesting anything from unwanted garden hoses to garden furniture and out-dated shoes – which is a much more pleasing thought than being outlived by something you threw away!
