A strain of bacteria that can degrade harmful chemical compounds in polyurethane has been discovered. It could lead to at least a partial solution to reducing the amount of plastic pollution that’s threatening the health of both environments and communities around the world. Polyurethane foam is used in many things with which people come into frequent contact. The material is covered in flame retardant that can disrupt the human endocrine system, says Fulton Schools Professor Rolf Halden, director of ASU’s Center for Environmental Health Engineering. The bacteria strain could be a useful tool in destroying polyurethane, Halden says, but more research and resources are needed to take significant steps to clean up plastics pollution.

See Also: Scientists Discover Plastic-Munching Microbe in Waste Site, Smithsonian Magazine, March 31

Researchers have identified bacteria that can degrade plastic, Press Stories, March 30

Some Bacteria Can Eat Plastics, The Midland Weekly, March 3o