On May 2, 2018, Reed College announced that bio major Morgan Vague ’18 had isolated and bred three strains of bacteria that consume and degrade polyethylene terephthalate (PET)-0 the ubiquitous plastic used in textiles, packaging, and soft-drink containers -opening up the tantalizing possibility of using microbes to fight pollution.

The Reed recruited an unlikely ally in the fight against plastic pollution – bacteria. Certain strains of bacteria produce lipase, a fat-digesting enzyme that can break down plastic molecules and render them palatable.