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2024-11-11

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Scientists Find Plastic-Eating Fungus Feasting on Great Pacific Garbage Patch (futurism.com)

submitted 5 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/16488358

Scientists Find Plastic-Eating Fungus Feasting on Great Pacific Garbage Patch

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[–] [email protected] 70 points 5 months ago (9 children)

Sounds like great news, no?

Just as we had a time before fungus digesting plant matter, we've now had a time before fungus digesting plastics.

"Soon" we'll get bacteria and insects doing the same, and all our plastic buildings will need to be protected just as the wood ones.

[–] 9488fcea02a9 10 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Not really good news for the plastic that isnt waste. Plastic pipes or structures in buildings that were meant to last decades we dont want eaten away by fungus

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

Still it’s a positive net balance for the planet if it happens this way. But I think the “plastic safety” (in a food sense) would also end?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago

“The planet” doesn’t have interests so everything is neutral to the planet

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

Hate to break it to you, but if you store your food for years above freezing and without a protective atmosphere in a plastic container it's spoiled anyway.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

To say nothing of how much cabling is covered by plastic.

Audio

Video

Vehicular

Aviation

Appliances...

...Telecommunications...

...Power...

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