TED Talks Daily The brilliance of bacteria (and how they combat waste) | Patricia Aymà Maldonado
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Jan 16, 2026 
Patricia Aymà Maldonado, a biotechnologist and founder of VEnvirotech, shares her innovative work training bacteria to convert organic waste into biodegradable, microplastic-free bioplastics. She tackles the importance of plastics, the limitations of traditional recycling, and the challenges of scaling sustainable solutions. With a unique double-bioplastic approach, her technology promises to revolutionize waste management and reduce microplastic pollution, urging listeners to advocate for systemic change and responsible manufacturing.
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Make Producers Accountable
- Companies must take responsibility and adopt materials that match intended end-of-life outcomes.
- Prioritize substituting problematic materials with ones designed to return safely to the environment.
Two-Stage Bacterial Production
- Patricia describes a two-stage bacterial process: one group 'cooks' waste and another makes the bioplastic.
- Their system processes three tons of spent yeast daily and uses 300 g of waste to make 1 kg of bioplastic.
A Double Bioplastic
- VEnvirotech's bioplastic is both bio-based and biodegradable, meeting origin and end-of-life criteria.
- The process converts industry organic waste into usable plastic that later returns to organic matter.