Although biodegradable plastic alternatives to PET are now available, they have so far represented a niche product. When it comes to requirements such as mechanical and thermal stability, use as a moisture barrier and durability, they can only be used to a limited extent for many applications. However, it is precisely these desired properties that make the ever-growing mountains of plastic waste and the associated environmental pollution one of the greatest challenges of our time. Therefore, in addition to strategies for plastic waste avoidance, recycling processes are becoming increasingly important. Scientists at the University of Leipzig have now developed a measuring method that is intended to accelerate the development of plastics that can be recycled several times. The results have now been published in the journal “ACS Catalysis”, one of the most renowned journals on the subject of biocatalysis/enzymes.