Ocean microbes can’t break down plastics, new research shows

We know some microbes can break down certain plastics, but our new study finds no clear correlation between plastic pollution levels and the production of plastic-degrading enzymes by marine microorganisms.

Marine plastic pollution is a massive environmental issue, with a plastic smog of an estimated 170 trillion particles afloat in the world’s oceans. This highlights how urgently we need to develop strategies to mitigate this environmental crisis.