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Letter: Can a fungus clean the sea of garbage?

Published 9 March 2016

From Barry Cash

Mycologist Paul Stamets says “I am convinced that there is not yet a single carbon-based toxin that we could not train mycelial networks to break down” (13 February, p 28). How about plastics? If he could create fungi that feed on plastics in sea water we could clear the oceans of plastic waste. And breaking it down to nutrients for plants or animals that absorb carbon dioxide and then sink to the bottom could help in the fight against climate change.

I'm not sure how to make money out of it though.

Bristol, UK

Issue no. 3064 published 12 March 2016

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