Teen Discovers Plastic-Decomposing Bacteria

ganelo writes to tell us that 16-year-old Waterloo Collegiate Institute student Danel Burd has made quite a stir with his plastic-eating bacteria discovery. For his efforts Burd won top prize at a Canada-wide science fair claiming a $10,000 prize and a $20,000 scholarship. "Tests to identify the strains found strain two was Sphingomonas bacteria and the helper was Pseudomonas. A researcher in Ireland has found Pseudomonas is capable of degrading polystyrene, but as far as Burd and his teacher Mark Menhennet know -- and they've looked -- Burd's research on polyethelene plastic bags is a first."

Comments

Don't get too excited yet

[gsgriffin]

Like most of the initial announcements (that come way to early!), this has not been tested and shouldn't get anyone thrilled. Haven't we learned yet that there are consequences and effects related to the things we do? What is the by-product of these bateria? What conditions does it take for them to live and multiply in? When we have these little buggers all over the place, what affect on human health could it have? Don't throw your bags out the window just yet!