John Torkelson News Today

Plastic-based objects have proven to be helpful in everyday life, but the task of recycling the material is harder than we think.

Tweaks in the process for producing thermosets—polymers used in tires and memory foam mattresses—could allow these materials to be recycled. 

Now, a Northwestern University-led team has provided the basis for a technique to enhance the effects of an enzyme that breaks down polyester — the plastic used to make soda bottles and clothing.

In the United States, less than 10% of the 380 million metric tons of plastic generated yearly is recycled, posing a global environmental danger due to plastic manufacture and the annual absorption of millions of tons of garbage into bodies of water. When it comes to polymers, such as polyester, the proportion drops.

Despite research and policy efforts, recycling initiatives have skidded on more complex materials like tires and mattresses, filling dumps and natural