Scientists have discovered a new type of microbe that can break down plastic at low temperatures in the Alps and the Arctic. The discovery could be a significant step towards reducing the environmental impact of plastic pollution in the world's most fragile ecosystems.

A team of researchers from the Universities of Innsbruck and Vienna in Austria, along with international colleagues, discovered the new microbial community in soil samples taken from the Alps and the Arctic. They found that these microbes were capable of breaking down polyethylene, one of the most common plastics used in packaging, even at temperatures as low as 7°C.

The discovery of these microbes has significant implications for the fight against plastic pollution. Polyethylene is one of the most widely used plastics, with an estimated 100 million tons produced each year. It takes hundreds of years to break down, and much of it ends up in landfills or the natural environment, where it can cause long-term harm to ecosystems and wildlife.

The new microbes could offer a solution to this problem. By breaking down polyethylene at low temperatures, they could be used to reduce plastic pollution in cold environments such as the Arctic, where plastic waste is particularly difficult to manage. The researchers also hope that the discovery could lead to new ways of recycling plastic, using microbes to break it down into useful products.