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Can't help but wonder if this is a solution searching for a problem. Landfills already have protections against leeching into the surrounding environment. And

Can't help but wonder if this is a solution searching for a problem. Landfills already have protections against leeching into the surrounding environment. And we aren't going to plausibly run out of space for landfills in the foreseeable future (images from Wall-E notwithstanding). Isn't plastic basically inert once it gets to a landfill anyway? Even if it takes centuries to break down, who cares? IMO we'd be better off focusing research on reducing the waste rather than improving disposal.

faitswulff 4y ago
This could theoretically treat free-floating microplastics in, e.g., the ocean, which you can't plausibly isolate in landfills.
- rootusrootus 4y ago
  Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't this process still assume that the plastic is collected and heated (not super hot, the claim seems to be "less than 50C")? In the case of the ocean, it doesn't seem like this technology would be useful until after we collect all the little bits of plastic. And at that point we could just put it in a landfill anyway.
  - faitswulff 4y ago
    Yeah, good point. Theoretically, a more optimized enzyme might be able to do it at ambient temperatures, which they mention in the article as a target. Assuming the search space for enzyme mutations isn't already exhausted.
    - nomel 4y ago
      > a more optimized enzyme might be able to do it at ambient temperatures Releasing this into the ocean, in any appreciable amount, seems like a very bad idea. I think collection from plastic "hot spots", and then separate processing, would make more sense. I think it's best to reduce the number of foreign chemicals in the environment.
      - deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]
      - faitswulff 4y ago
        Wastewater treatment might be a good use for it to remove microplastics.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
noizejoy 4y ago
> IMO we'd be better off focusing research on reducing the waste rather than improving disposal. And IMO there’s much upside to pursue multiple avenues to desired solutions, rather than making choices to eliminate potentially contending solutions too early. Mother nature herself provides pretty much exactly that template for evolution. So if we want to save nature, why not use that same approach? It seems to have served the survival of life on our planet rather well.
sschueller 4y ago
We should be focusing on reducing trash and getting raw materials back out of trash. The rest should be burned or processed cleanly and maybe generate electricity while at it.
makeitdouble 4y ago
> Landfills already have protections against leeching into the surrounding environment. Not to get into tinfoil hat territory, but can any large enough industry be trusted on narratives regarding how waste is handled ? I don't think there is controversy around landfills leaking. There is debate on wether it's as bad as we think, or the actual impact, but then I find it hard to take a "We don't hear about it in the news, so it's probably fine" stance when we got served BS "we're all in on recycling, don't worry just buy more from us" narratives for decades with almost nothing actually getting recycled. PS: more on leakage from an industry publication: https://wasteadvantagemag.com/how-much-does-my-landfill-leak/ https://wasteadvantagemag.com/how-much-does-my-landfill-leak... > As a result of advances in installation quality and CQA practices, leakage rates greater than 50 liters per hectare per day (lphd) have decreased significantly in the past 20 years.

faitswulff 4y ago

This could theoretically treat free-floating microplastics in, e.g., the ocean, which you can't plausibly isolate in landfills.

rootusrootus 4y ago
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't this process still assume that the plastic is collected and heated (not super hot, the claim seems to be "less than 50C")? In the case of the ocean, it doesn't seem like this technology would be useful until after we collect all the little bits of plastic. And at that point we could just put it in a landfill anyway.
- faitswulff 4y ago
  Yeah, good point. Theoretically, a more optimized enzyme might be able to do it at ambient temperatures, which they mention in the article as a target. Assuming the search space for enzyme mutations isn't already exhausted.
  - nomel 4y ago
    > a more optimized enzyme might be able to do it at ambient temperatures Releasing this into the ocean, in any appreciable amount, seems like a very bad idea. I think collection from plastic "hot spots", and then separate processing, would make more sense. I think it's best to reduce the number of foreign chemicals in the environment.
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
    - faitswulff 4y ago
      Wastewater treatment might be a good use for it to remove microplastics.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

noizejoy 4y ago

> IMO we'd be better off focusing research on reducing the waste rather than improving disposal. And IMO there’s much upside to pursue multiple avenues to desired solutions, rather than making choices to eliminate potentially contending solutions too early. Mother nature herself provides pretty much exactly that template for evolution. So if we want to save nature, why not use that same approach? It seems to have served the survival of life on our planet rather well.

sschueller 4y ago

We should be focusing on reducing trash and getting raw materials back out of trash. The rest should be burned or processed cleanly and maybe generate electricity while at it.

makeitdouble 4y ago

> Landfills already have protections against leeching into the surrounding environment. Not to get into tinfoil hat territory, but can any large enough industry be trusted on narratives regarding how waste is handled ? I don't think there is controversy around landfills leaking. There is debate on wether it's as bad as we think, or the actual impact, but then I find it hard to take a "We don't hear about it in the news, so it's probably fine" stance when we got served BS "we're all in on recycling, don't worry just buy more from us" narratives for decades with almost nothing actually getting recycled. PS: more on leakage from an industry publication: https://wasteadvantagemag.com/how-much-does-my-landfill-leak/ https://wasteadvantagemag.com/how-much-does-my-landfill-leak... > As a result of advances in installation quality and CQA practices, leakage rates greater than 50 liters per hectare per day (lphd) have decreased significantly in the past 20 years.