Harnessing synthetic biology to empower a circular plastics economy

Abstract

Biotechnology offers unique opportunities for mitigating and upcycling plastic waste with low-intensity bioprocesses. Synthetic biology can further enhance bioprocesses for sustainably dealing with plastic waste and supporting a circular plastics economy. We provide an overview of current strategies for leveraging synthetic biology and microbial community engineering to degrade and upcycle plastic waste, with application to both industrial and environmental settings. We further discuss complementary strategies for pre-treating plastic materials and altering recalcitrant vinyl polymers to enhance bioprocessing efficiency. Additionally, we provide commentary on future research directions that would propel biotechnological solutions toward application in a circular plastics economy.

Keywords: biological engineering; bioremediation; microbial consortia; plastics; upcycling; vinyl polymers.