In 2025, the fight against plastic pollution has found an unexpected ally in the fungi kingdom. Scientists around the world are exploring the potential of plastic-degrading fungi, a solution that seems straight out of science fiction but is already showing promising results in laboratories and controlled environments.
The Discovery That Changed Everything
In 2011, Yale students discovered the fungus Pestalotiopsis microspora in the Amazon, capable of decomposing polyurethane (a plastic common in foams and adhesives). This discovery opened the door to more in-depth research:
- 2023: Teams at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, identified 436 species of fungi capable of degrading plastic.
- 2025: The University of Sydney successfully genetically modified Aspergillus tubingensis to decompose PET (used in bottles) in just 60 days.
How Does It Work?
Fungi produce enzymes (such as cutinase and lipase) that break the chemical bonds in plastic:
- Adhesion: The mycelium (the fungal network of filaments) adheres to the plastic.
- Degradation: Enzymes transform the polymers into simpler molecules.
- Metabolism: The fungus absorbs these compounds as nutrients.
Key fact: Some strains convert plastic into edible, protein-rich biomass.
Innovative Projects in 2025
- FungiNet (EU): Network of “fungal farms” in landfills that process 1 ton of plastic/day.
- Plastic Eating Mushrooms (PEM): Home kits with Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom) to degrade bags and packaging.
- Ocean Mycoremediation: Buoys with marine fungal spores to clean microplastics.
Pending Challenges
- Speed: Still slow for industrial scale (vs. global plastic production).
- Specificity: Each fungus only acts on certain types of plastic.
- Safety: Risk of releasing modified fungi into the environment.
The Future: Definitive Solution or Complement?
Experts predict that by 2030:
- Fungi could manage up to 5% of global plastic waste.
- “Superfungi” will be developed using CRISPR to accelerate the process.
- Bioplastics designed to be degraded by fungi will emerge.
“It’s not a silver bullet, but it’s a powerful tool in our anthropogenic arsenal” — Dr. Vera Meyer, fungal biotechnology expert.