Fungi used to compost plastics

This is the result of a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council-funded study led by Geoff Robson of Manchester University’s life-sciences department.

His team found that certain fungi can degrade the plastic in soil.

Furthermore, the rate of degradation increases when the volume of these fungi is increased or nutrients are added to the soil to boost the fungi’s activity.

The team is now carrying out further studies to make sure the degradation of polyurethanes does not adversely affect the composting process or its products.

Robson said: ‘This is a significant finding. Polyurethanes are used to make many, many products and can take up a large amount of volume in landfill sites, which are rapidly running out of space. This makes it a major environmental pollutant.

‘This study opens the possibility that fungi could be used to degrade these materials instead of dumping them into landfill sites.’

The team placed polyurethane pieces in soil containing fungi and bacteria.