Our planet is awash in plastic pollution. Tiny bits of it, called microplastics, taint the air and our food. Plastic specks have been found everywhere from our bodies to a dolphin’s breath. That’s why scientists keep looking for ways to break down this sturdy material. Now, they’ve discovered a promising new strategy. Bacteria common in wastewater can break down a common type of plastic called PET. That finding could inform new ways to clean up PET pollution, which may make up around half of all the microplastic in wastewater.