Our Sustainable Future: Decomposing BPA-containing plastic using a “fungus among us”

Summary: Scientists are reporting discovery of a more sustainable way of disposing of plastics that contain bisphenol A (BPA) — without releasing that potentially harmful substance to the environment. The new method involves exposing polycarbonate plastic waste to ultraviolet light and heat. Just as cooking makes food more digestible for humans, this pretreatment approach makes polycarbonate plastic more digestible for certain fungi, which the scientists used to break down polycarbonate plastic. Their study appears in the ACS’ monthly journal Biomacromolecules. Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu.