Skip to main content

Researchers discover a bacteria that can digest plastic bottles

Japanese researchers have discovered a strain of bacteria capable of degrading polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is a commonly used plastic found in disposable water bottles. Named Ideonella sakaiensis by the research team, it is the first bacteria isolate known to use PET as a substrate for growth. Details of the bacteria’s isolation and metabolism were presented recently in the journal Science.

PET is one of the most widely used plastics in the world — more than 50 million tons of PET plastic products are produced worldwide annually. The synthetic polyester polymer is found in disposable plastic drinking bottles as well as polyester clothing, food packaging trays, and blister packs. The plastic material is clear, strong yet flexible, and cheap to produce, making it attractive to manufacturers. The problem with PET is that it doesn’t degrade naturally, so it must be recycled — more than 1.5 billion pounds of PET items were recycled in 2010 in the US. and Canada. It also is highly resistant to bio-degradation by microbes, with only one other species of fungi shown to be capable of breaking down the material.

Recommended Videos

Not surprisingly, the Ideonella sakaiensis bacterial community was isolated from environmental samples collected from a plastic bottle recycling site. The team collected 250 samples of sediment, soil, and wastewater from the site and discovered a community of organisms capable of breaking down PET. Further analysis revealed that only one species, later named Ideonella sakaiensis, was responsible for this bio-degradation. The researchers isolated the strain and used it in further bio-degradation studies.

The results of these experiments showed that the bacteria used a two-enzyme system to biodegrade the plastic. After adhering to the PET, the bacteria secreted an enzyme that released a chemical from the PET material. This intermediate compound then was imported into the bacterial cell where it was broken down internally by another enzyme. This two-step process provided the bacteria with both carbon and energy to grow, while simultaneously degrading the plastic. According to laboratory tests, Ideonella sakaiensis can break down a thin film of PET slowly over the course of six weeks.

While exciting from a scientific standpoint, Ideonella sakaiensis may not be the cure-all for the plastic bottle problem. Recycling remains the fastest, easiest and cheapest way to remove this form of plastic from the waste stream. Researchers hope these results provide them with the information and tools they need to find other organisms capable of degrading plastic. “This process could be quite common,” said Tracy Mincer of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. “Now that we know what we are looking for, we may see these microbes in many areas around the world.”

Kelly Hodgkins
Kelly's been writing online for ten years, working at Gizmodo, TUAW, and BGR among others. Living near the White Mountains of…
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more
Charlie Cox singles out his least favorite Daredevil: Born Again episode
Charlie Cox in Daredevil: Born Again.

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 was largely reconceived after the 2023 actor and writer strikes. Dario Scardapane -- a veteran of The Punisher series on Netflix -- was brought in to be the new showrunner and he made a lot of changes to the series that were well-received. However, there's one episode that Scardapane didn't really change at all, and it happens to be the least favorite episode of Daredevil: Born Again's leading man, Charlie Cox.

During an appearance on The Playlist, Cox noted that he wasn't very fond of the season's fifth episode, "With Interest," which was a largely standalone episode that featured his character, Matt Murdock, in a bank during a hostage crisis.

Read more