ABSTRACT
Widespread increment in consumption and the virtue of its enduringness has become the worst vice of plastic and other synthetic polymers, posing a major threat to the environment. According to CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board, India) estimations, 8% of total solid waste is plastic lying on the edge of recalcitrance. The issue of their degradation remains a challenge to the researcher still and all methods discovered. Various cost-efficient technologies and eco-amiable treatments have been tried to reduce or eliminate plastic wastes like landfilling, incineration, and recycling. The former two tools have their own drawbacks related to the environment, and the latter one throws a high cost upon the treater. Among all, the enzymatic degradation method releases some relief of capital expenses and can be considered an innocuous option for ecological health. Many fungal and bacterial enzymes have been reported to have plastic degrading activity, prominently in fungi. This chapter accumulates a brief matter about enzymes capable of degrading plastic filth such as cutinase, laccase, protease, esterase, and urease, and accountable microbial species of Bacillus, Streptococcus, Pseudomonas, Aspergillus, Phaenarochaete, Pestaloptiopsis, and others. A conclusive outcome is made on the basis of gathered information to alter the status of accumulated plastic heaps on the land and oceans and provide alternative options to the consumers.
