The linear use of most plastics now represents a growing challenge, as less than 10% is recycled and a significant proportion is disposed of uncontrolled, with serious impacts on the environment.
The current perspective, in which our catalaix core team member Prof. Lars M. Blank is also involved together with Dr. Ren Wei, Dr. Gert Weber and Prof. Uwe T. Bornscheuer, provides insights into biotechnological methods for the depolymerization of plastics with a special focus on the need for recycling or even upcycling of plastics at the industrial level to achieve a sustainable, circular plastics economy.
As sustainability becomes increasingly important in our modern world, this perspective highlights in particular the crucial role that enzymes will play in plastics recycling in the future.
The Werner Siemens Foundation Research Centre catalaix is working on a forward-looking vision: to close the cycle of linear plastic use and rethink plastic as a novel resource for a modern, sustainable world.