Scientists at the University of Edinburgh have created a way to turn plastic waste into paracetamol using genetically modified bacteria – addressing both plastic pollution and fossil fuel dependency in pharmaceutical production. The research team at the Wallace Lab, led by Professor Stephen Wallace, has engineered E. coli bacteria to convert polyethylene terephthalate (PET) – the plastic used in water bottles and food packaging – into paracetamol, a widely used painkiller also known as acetaminophen. The study was published in Nature Chemistry on June 23, 2025. “This work demonstrates that PET plastic isn’t just waste or a material destined to … Continue reading E. coli Bacteria Convert Plastic Waste to Paracetamol with 90% Efficiency in Zero-Carbon Process