Fungus Found in Pakistan Landfill Breaks Down Tough Plastic

Scientists found a tiny living thing called a fungus in a garbage dump in Islamabad, Pakistan.

This fungus, named Aspergillus tubingensis, can break down a very tough kind of plastic called polyurethane.

Polyurethane is used in lots of things like fake leather, cushions, coatings and insulation.

This plastic is very hard to break down and usually stays around for a long time.

In laboratory tests, the fungus grew on the plastic and made it crack, erode, and form holes.

In one liquid experiment, the plastic film was completely broken into smaller pieces after two months.

The fungus uses special helpers called enzymes, like esterase and lipase, to do this.

This does not mean plastic trash will vanish quickly in the real world because the tests were done in a lab.

Still, scientists hope that the fungus or its enzymes could one day help clean up tough plastic waste.