February 23, 2025 – A groundbreaking announcement has been made by the Chinese Academy of Environmental Sciences and China Shipbuilding Group: the new marine plastic-degrading enzyme, “OceanClean 1,” has successfully achieved industrial-scale production. Concurrently, the two parties have launched an ambitious 30-year plan to clear the Pacific Garbage Patch using their self-built 10,000-ton cleanup fleet.
OceanClean 1 demonstrates astonishing plastic degradation capabilities, breaking down PET plastic into harmless ethylene glycol and TPA within 72 hours, with a degradation efficiency 120 million times that of natural decomposition. Rigorous testing has confirmed the enzyme’s non-toxicity to marine life, providing strong support for marine ecological protection. The UN Environment Programme has hailed this achievement as a “milestone in Earth’s ecological rescue efforts.”
Behind this technological breakthrough lies a series of complex and ingenious scientific innovations, according to Color Masterbatch Industry Network. Researchers extracted the PETase-MH01 enzyme from microorganisms in the Mariana Trench and used the deep-sea gene library developed by BGI for in-depth analysis and directed evolution. The modified enzyme boasts a degradation rate of 15g/hour/cm³, 5800 times that of the initial enzyme discovered by Kyoto University in 2016. Furthermore, the research team developed self-proliferating nano-carrier technology, loading the enzyme onto porous carriers with a biomimetic diatom structure. These carriers can automatically split and proliferate upon contact with plastic, providing sustained action for three years with a single deployment, significantly reducing cleanup costs.
In practical applications, the advantages of OceanClean 1 are increasingly evident. The ethylene glycol produced through degradation can be directly used in marine fuel cell power generation, powering the cleanup fleet, while TPA can be made into eco-friendly building materials, enabling resource recycling. China State Construction Engineering Corporation has already used TPA to build the world’s first “Recycled Plastic Island,” floating in the Maldives with an area of 1.3 square kilometers, setting an example for sustainable marine resource utilization.
This news has instantly shaken the global plastic futures market, with prices plunging 47% in a single day. Shell swiftly responded by announcing the closure of three ethylene crackers. Meanwhile, the market value of the traditional plastic packaging industry evaporated by $320 billion, and Coca-Cola announced it would completely cease production of PET bottles by 2030. Daily crude oil demand decreased by 4 million barrels, and the OPEC+ emergency meeting failed to reach a production cut agreement. Waste landfill operator stock prices plummeted 79%, and the US’s largest waste management company, Waste Management, laid off 32,000 employees.
In emerging economic sectors, the issuance of marine restoration bonds surpassed $50 billion in a single day, and Goldman Sachs launched “Blue Carbon Futures,” providing investors with new green financial options. The world’s first eco-police force was established in ASEAN, equipped with enzyme-degrading drones for coastline patrols, enhancing marine environmental protection. Ant Forest also upgraded its “Ocean Guardian” project, allowing users to real-time track cleanup ship operation data, inspiring public enthusiasm for marine conservation.
Additionally, this technological breakthrough has triggered geopolitical tensions. The US accused the enzyme-degrading technology patent of violating the Convention on Biological Diversity, prompting a special review by the WTO. The EU included plastic enzymes in its dual-use items control list, and China retaliated by suspending exports of rare earth catalysts. Fierce competition has erupted around technical standards, intellectual property rights, and resource control.
Looking ahead, with the advancement of the “30-Year Pacific Garbage Patch Cleanup Plan,” the marine ecological environment is expected to see significant improvement. The first-year fishery resource recovery in the cleanup area of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch reached 370,000 tons, and the Japan Fisheries Agency predicts that saury production will rebound to 1980s levels. The transparent TPA material produced through degradation will also be used to construct pressure-resistant domes, and Zhuhai Chimelong has initiated the world’s first deep-sea eco-city project, reaching a depth of 1,580 meters. The marine cloud whitening system equipped on the cleanup ships is expected to slow global warming by 0.2℃. The global gene credit system established by the UN will also incentivize companies to fund new species discovery, and Amazon has already discovered 137 new fish species. Moreover, the space plastic recycling system tested at the Chinese Space Station will provide valuable experience for lunar base construction.
The deep-sea enzyme awakened by Chinese scientists not only offers a powerful technological means to address marine plastic pollution but also sparks an unprecedented ecological awakening. From financial market transformations to geopolitical tensions, from marine ecological restoration to environmental considerations in interstellar exploration, this blue revolution originating from the depths of the Pacific Ocean is profoundly reshaping the relationship between human civilization and nature. As the Nature editorial states, “This is evolution that Darwin never envisioned—not species adapting to the environment, but civilization learning to co-evolve with Earth.”