We use polyurethane to make just about everything — garden hoses, furniture, the entirety of a local 2 dollar shop. It’s easy to produce, durable, and dirt cheap. What it isn’t is recyclable — there isn’t a single natural process that breaks it down … That is until a newly-discovered Amazonian fungus takes a bite.
Pestalotiopsis microspora is a resident of the Ecuadorian rainforest and was discovered by a group of student researchers. It’s the first fungus species to be able to survive exclusively on polyurethane and, more importantly, able to do so in anaerobic conditions — the same conditions found in the bottom of landfills. This makes the fungus a prime candidate for projects that could finally provide an alternative to just burying the plastic and hoping for the best. Learn more here.