August 2022

The solution that could help with the plastic pollution problem: is an enzyme that can chemically break down many bottles and packaging, sometimes within 24 hours.

Researchers at the University of Texas describe the development of a "plastic-eating enzyme" in the April 27 edition of the peer-reviewed journal Nature. They used machine learning technology to mutate the natural enzyme PETase into one that could quickly break down plastics made with the polymer polyethylene terephthalate, also called PET.

Waitrose is removing best-before dates from nearly 500 fresh food products in an effort to reduce food waste.

From September, the staff-owned supermarket chain will scrap the dates on packaged fruit and vegetables, including lettuce, cucumber and peppers, to encourage consumers to use their own judgment about when food has gone off.

The move is expected to cut food waste by preventing people from throwing away products that are still edible, the retailer says.

With farmer unions adamant on gheraoing the Himachal Pradesh Secretariat on August 5, the government agreed to three of their 20 demands.