Researchers have identified a new bacterium that feeds on polyurethane, a kind of plastic that is difficult to recycle or destroy. Scientists say the discovery could help reduce a flood of hard-to-recycle plastics that are ending up in the world’s landfills and polluting oceans. A team from the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research in Leipzig, Germany, found the new strain of soil bacteria. It was identified in an area that contained a large amount of plastic waste. The team discovered the bacteria were feeding on polyurethane diol, a substance widely used in many different products.
Title: Scientists Discover New Bacteria that Feeds on Plastic
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4076/4.10.20c.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Scientists Discover New Bacteria that Feeds on Plastic' data-article-id='4611'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='15125'>Researchers have identified a new bacterium that feeds on polyurethane, a kind of plastic that is difficult to recycle or destroy.</span> <span data-start-time='15125' data-end-time='31458'>Scientists say the discovery could help reduce a flood of hard-to-recycle plastics that are ending up in the world’s landfills and polluting oceans.</span> <span data-start-time='31458' data-end-time='44313'>A team from the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research in Leipzig, Germany, found the new strain of soil bacteria.</span> <span data-start-time='44313' data-end-time='52583'>It was identified in an area that contained a large amount of plastic waste.</span> <span data-start-time='52583' data-end-time='65500'>The team discovered the bacteria were feeding on polyurethane diol, a substance widely used in many different products.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4076/4.10.20c.jpg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=14740 data-hint-location='15125' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4076/what_is_a_landfill.wav'>What is a landfill?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='A site for the disposal of waste materials'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4076/a_place_to_build_homes.wav'><span>A place to build homes</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4076/a_plot_of_land_to_grow_vegtables.wav'><span>A plot of land to grow vegtables</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4076/a_site_for_the_disposal_of_waste_materials.wav'><span>A site for the disposal of waste materials</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4076/a_kind_of_new_roadway.wav'><span>A kind of new roadway</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=14741 data-hint-location='15125' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4076/why_is_the_discovery_of_this_new_bacterium_beneficial_to_the_world.wav'>Why is the discovery of this new bacterium beneficial to the world?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='The discovery could help reduce plastics ending up in the worlds landfills'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4076/the_discovery_could_help_end_world_hunger.wav'><span>The discovery could help end world hunger</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4076/the_discovery_could_help_reduce_plastics_ending_up_in_the_worlds_landfills.wav'><span>The discovery could help reduce plastics ending up in the worlds landfills</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4076/the_discovery_could_end_poverty.wav'><span>The discovery could end poverty</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4076/the_discovery_is_not_helpful_at_all.wav'><span>The discovery is not helpful at all</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=14742 data-hint-location='31458' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4076/the_helmholtz_center_for_environmental_research_is_in__blank_.wav'>The Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research is in <span class='blank'>Germany</span>.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='Germany'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4076/germany.wav'><span>Germany</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4076/the_united_states.wav'><span>The United States</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4076/italy.wav'><span>Italy</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4076/china.wav'><span>China</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button 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