Researchers at Carbios and the the University of Toulouse have created a "mutant" variant of leaf-branch compost cutinase that can break the bonds in PET plastics.

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/04/huge-step-forward-mutant-enzyme-could-vastly-improve-recycling-plastic-bottles

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The new enzyme is 10,000x more efficient at breaking up PET, and remains intact at temperatures above 72' C, which is PET's softening point (softer plastics are easier to break down, but enzymes also break down at higher temps).

https://sci-hub.tw/downloads-ii/2020-04-09/c8/[email protected]

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The breakdown is so efficient that it produces recylced plastic that is as strong as virgin plastic, and the enzyme naturally separates out pigments used to make color plastics so the end-product is clear.

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"Carbios is building a demonstration plant that is expected to recycle hundreds of tons of PET per year." The process is more expensive than making new plastics, but because we allow plastics manufacturers to impose the external costs of their process on society.

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Image:
Grendelkhan
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bales_of_PET_bottles_closeup.jpg

CC BY-SA
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

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