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| Image Credit: Rich Carey/Shutterstock |
Today, I read “A new solution for our plastic waste?”, by Kat Friedrich, found on The Energy Collective’s website. This article discusses how certain fungi and bacteria can digest plastics, creating less toxic residual minerals, thereby being put forward as a possible solution. I am beyond critical of this short article.
I think that the length of this paper shows the lack of information available on the topic, or at least known to the author. A publication by Applied Environmental Microbiology (a peer-reviewed journal) is the basis for this article, however as I am always critical of this field, I made sure to save the article for future review. I can see that people want to find a way to continue using this destructive material, rather than find an alternative that includes moving away from use of these materials. The extraction industry as a whole is terribly destructive, which includes oil extraction. Communities and the environment suffer greatly for this industry, just so we can use non-recycled materials. I want to know how this is ideal.
I feel that people reading “A new solution for our plastic waste?” will feel a false sense of security when it comes to use of plastics. This includes disposal into a landfill, since the bacteria and fungi can apparently break down plastics in a landfill. How can we be sure this will happen and how can we take other factors into account? This does not change the fact that other materials in the landfill are not breaking down, meaning breakdown is not complete, nor does it return safely to the earth’s system. In my opinion, we need to stop using plastics, so as to prevent further pollution caused by this material. If we must continue to use plastics, we need to use those plastics already created and turn them into new materials; ideally materials that will break down easily. In addition, as can be seen in the introduction, the residue is LESS toxic, not NON-toxic, so how can we trust this alleged solution if some amount of toxicity continues to prevail?
Finally, a good quote is in the last paragraph: “it will take extensive work to clean up our excess petroleum and plastic.”
