Newly discovered bacteria can eat plastic bottles

A worker pulls a sack of used plastic bottles at a collection and sorting facility in Shijingshan District of Beijing, China, March 15, 2016. Photo: EPA

A team of Japanese scientists has found a species of bacteria that eats the type of plastic found in most disposable water bottles.

The discovery, published a few days ago in the journal Science, could lead to new methods to manage the more than 50 million tons of this particular type of plastic produced globally each year.