PETase: Plastic-Degrading 'Super-Enzyme'

Plastics are widely used in the global economy, and each year at least 350 to 400 million tons are being produced. Due to poor recycling and low circular use, millions of tons are accumulated annually in terrestrial or marine environments. Since the 1990s research on the biodegradation of synthetic polymers has been promoted extensively owing to the universal concern about the global environmental crisis. Accordingly, the production of bio-degradable polymerase has been gradually increasing but it still comprises a low percentage of total plastic production. Recently, an enzyme called PETase (Polyethylene Terephthalate digestive enzyme) has shown the ability to degrade the PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) which is a polyester and non-degradable compound