DECOMPOSITION OF LOW-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE USING MICROORGANISM CAPABLE OF DECOMPOSING LOW-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve problems such as air pollution, etc., occurring in incineration and to rapidly decompose a low-density polyethylene, by using a bacterium capable of decomposing a low-density polyethylene. SOLUTION: A low-density polyethylene (hereinafter abbreviated to LDPE) is treated with a bacterium belonging to the genus Bacillus, capable of decomposing LDPE to decompose LDPE in a short period. Bacillus circulans No.14 strain (FERM P-16,400), Bacillus brevis No. 19 strain (FERM P-16,401), etc., are especially preferably cited as the bacterium capable of decomposing LDPE. A method for burying an LDPE waste in soil and applying the decomposing bacterium, etc., are used as the decomposition method. The treatment time can be further shortened by a means such as degradation of the LDPE waste by irradiation with light rays, heat treatment, etc., in advance. Consequently the decomposition of LDPE requiring about 300 years in the natural world can be carried out in about three months.