16-Year Old Boy Isolates Microbe That Eats Plastic, Potentially Saves Earth

Posted by David in Science & Tech on May 25, 2008 at 7:31 am


I first became truly horrified at America’s addiction to plastic and its already-hugely deleterious effects when I read Best Life’s stunning piece on our Plastic Ocean. One of the most dangerous elements of plastic is that it almost never goes away. Plastic bags are made of polyethylene, which micro-organisms don’t break down like organic material. They can also be poisonous, making for a dangerous combination not only for nature, but also for humanity.

Since then, I’ve tried my best to reduce my usage of plastic in all aspects of my life, whether it be bringing a reusable bag to the supermarket or cutting down on the amount of bottled water I buy. Nonetheless, as shockingly depicted by Chris Jordan, America’s collective usage of plastic continues unabated.

Enter Daniel Burd, a 16-year old boy who isolated the microorganisms that degrade plastic…as part of a science project:

Daniel, a 16-year-old Grade 11 student at Waterloo Collegiate Institute, got the idea for his project from everyday life. “Almost every week I have to do chores and when I open the closet door, I have this avalanche of plastic bags falling on top of me,” he said. “One day, I got tired of it and I wanted to know what other people are doing with these plastic bags.”The answer: not much. So he decided to do something himself.

Could this be the first step to ending our plastic problem? What do you guys think?

Read the Link for details on Daniel’s experiments.


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19 comments to "16-Year Old Boy Isolates Microbe That Eats Plastic, Potentially Saves Earth"

  1. Miss Cellania
    May 25th, 2008 at 8:06 am

    If usable, this is a wonderful breakthrough! I just hope manufacturers don't use the microbe as an excuse to flood us with ever more plastic. Biodegradability is wonderful, but we also need to bring back the public water fountain for those who do not want to buy plastic bottles, and come up with better packaging for those who will buy water or soda pop no matter what.

  2. doubleh
    May 25th, 2008 at 8:13 am

    This reminds me of a Michael Crichton novel.

  3. andrew
    May 25th, 2008 at 9:09 am

    doubleh : I think you're thinking of the Andromeda Strain.

  4. Shervin
    May 25th, 2008 at 10:20 am

    What are the products of the bacterial degradation?

  5. CheeseDuck
    May 25th, 2008 at 10:20 am

    Huh. I thought people had already discovered this microbe. Or was that the oil eating one?

  6. MoonCake
    May 25th, 2008 at 10:35 am

    i don't know- this may be really, really awesome and it may be really, really bad. knowing how our economy deals with new things, this boy will likely be exploited and his discovery will be taken for granted. it will be overused, and the original utility will be lost.

    otherwise, i think this would be a great breakthrough because plastics are evil and the floating island between california and hawaii proves it.

  7. JW
    May 25th, 2008 at 11:58 am

    Unfortunately the two types of bacteria isolated in the experiment can pose a danger to humans. Both Sphingomonas and Pseudomonas can infect people with compromised immune systems, and play a role in secondary infections acquired in hospitals. The infection can usually be treated by antibiotics, but some strains of Pseudomonas are already becoming resistant.

    So growing these bacterium in large numbers doesn't seem like a good idea on the surface. On the other hand, we're all probably growing them right now on our shower curtain.

    But perhaps certain strains could be found that don't pose a threat and still retain the ability to degrade polyethelene. Certainly worth researching, hopefully someone will.

  8. neko
    May 25th, 2008 at 12:39 pm

    in before the microbes either destroying all plastic everywhere or developing a taste for flesh.

  9. Ola Amigo
    May 25th, 2008 at 12:42 pm

    Smart kid. Don't know how it'll work out in practice, but I admire is initiative and inventiveness.

  10. L
    May 25th, 2008 at 12:43 pm

    "So growing these bacterium in large numbers doesn’t seem like a good idea on the surface."

    And continuing to choke the oceans with plastic does?

    I'm impressed with the project. Science classes must've changed quite a bit since I was in high school.

  11. Archbob
    May 25th, 2008 at 1:27 pm

    Looks like kids are making more discoveries than scientists these days. First the goldfish thing and now this.

  12. otterly
    May 25th, 2008 at 1:29 pm

    Well you can always RECYCLE! C'mon people! Now our city recycling plant (whos picks up ALL recycling curbside) will take all plastics.. Every bottle is not recyclable.

    If your too lazy to stuff all your plastics sacks into one and carry it with you to the store and deposit it before you go grocert shopping, I don't know about you.
    Its too easy.

  13. Depherios
    May 25th, 2008 at 1:54 pm

    Lol neko.

    Wonderful advancement... if we can keep it contained...

    But plastic is essentially a major building block of our civilization right now, and if these things evolve to and/or are tailored to be more efficient at breaking it down...

    One day, hopefully not anytime in the next few million years, we'll have to defend everything we own against bacteria and whatnot out to get it. I'd rather not see it in my lifetime due to our meddling lol.

  14. Lore
    May 25th, 2008 at 5:44 pm

    Potentially saves earth. If used for evil, could potentially be the end of it.

  15. Emily M
    May 25th, 2008 at 9:13 pm

    A+

  16. Christophe
    May 25th, 2008 at 10:43 pm

    simple, yet brilliant.

    Another way is the bureaucratic French way : in 2010 grocery plastic bags will be outlawed. Simple, yet... simple.

  17. Dave
    May 26th, 2008 at 12:22 am

    Nice idea. His buddies probably hit him up for a batch to play a prank, turning them loose inside the principal's car.

    Hey; a whole new market for these bugs!

  18. K!P
    May 26th, 2008 at 3:11 am

    this has great potantial in a good AND bad way: killerbees suppose to give more honey, but they escaped. What if the plastic eating superstrain bacteria in 20 years from now gets away? PLastic would be useless.

  19. Brayden
    May 26th, 2008 at 2:37 pm

    re RECYCLE:

    recycling, while abmirable, is ultimately -- utilizing current technologies -- wasteful. this plastic dehration process seems as of it involves few, if any, hazardous waste products and/or unneccesary resource expenditure.


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