Enzymes found in landfills around the world may be able to break down plastic waste. Some 11 billion metric tons of plastic are projected to accumulate in the environment by 2050. Enzymatic and microbial degradation is a promising method of plastic recycling. Landfills, environments where plastics are an abundant resource, are crucibles of bacterial evolution.

According to the authors, plastic may not be forever—and landfill bacteria can help shorten the life of plastic pollution. The paper is published in the journal PNAS Nexus.