PET plastic is widely used in food and drink packaging, with around 50 million tonnes of PET waste produced annually. Researchers say it is the first time a biological process has been used to turn plastic waste into a treatment for a neurological disease.

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The process uses engineered E. coli bacteria to convert PET plastic into L-DOPA, a medication for Parkinson’s. PET plastic is first broken down into terephthalic acid, which is then transformed into L-DOPA through biological reactions. The research was led by Professor Stephen Wallace at the University of Edinburgh.