In a breakthrough that links environmental protection with public health, scientists have developed a new process that converts discarded plastic bottles into paracetamol, one of the world’s most widely used pain relief medicines. The discovery suggests that plastic waste, often seen as an environmental burden, could become a valuable raw material for essential drugs.
The research was carried out by a team at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, where scientists engineered bacteria capable of transforming chemicals derived from plastic into paracetamol, the active ingredient found in many over-the-counter painkillers such as Tylenol. The findings have been published in the scientific journal Nature.
At the centre of the research is polyethylene terephthalate, commonly known as PET, a plastic widely used in drink bottles and food packaging. The researchers first broke down PET plastic into smaller chemical components using mild chemical treatment. These components were then introduced into specially engineered bacteria.
The bacteria, a laboratory strain of *Escherichia coli*, were designed in such a way that they could survive only if they converted the plastic-derived chemical into a compound essential for their growth. This forced the microbes to use the plastic material as a food source, ultimately leading to the production of paracetamol.
Under controlled laboratory conditions, the process achieved conversion yields of nearly ninety two percent, with the entire transformation completed in less than twenty four hours.
One of the most striking aspects of the discovery is the use of a chemical reaction known as the Lossen rearrangement, which typically does not occur inside living organisms. In this case, researchers found that phosphate naturally present inside the bacterial cells helped drive this reaction safely without damaging the microbes.
This reaction produced para-aminobenzoic acid, a compound bacteria need to make folate and DNA. By adding genes from fungi and soil microbes, scientists extended the pathway so the bacteria could convert this compound further into paracetamol.
According to the researchers, this is one of the first examples of a complex non-natural chemical reaction taking place efficiently inside living cells.
Currently, most paracetamol produced worldwide is derived from petroleum-based chemicals. With global production of PET plastic reaching around one hundred twenty billion pounds each year, the new method raises the possibility of using plastic waste instead of fossil fuels to manufacture vital medicines.
Paracetamol is listed by the World Health Organization as an essential medicine and is used globally as a first-line treatment for pain and fever. Scientists believe that producing it from waste materials could reduce carbon emissions, lower dependence on oil supply chains, and give economic value to recycled plastics.
Despite its promise, researchers caution that the technology is still at an early stage. Scaling the process from small laboratory flasks to large industrial fermenters would require careful engineering to keep the bacteria healthy and productive. Issues such as temperature control, oxygen supply, contamination, and by-product buildup would need to be addressed.
Regulatory approval would also be essential, as pharmaceutical manufacturers must prove that the paracetamol produced through this method meets strict safety and purity standards. Scientists emphasised that the bacteria used in the experiments are harmless laboratory strains and are kept under tightly controlled conditions.
Experts say the study highlights a growing shift in scientific thinking, where waste materials are seen not as a problem to be disposed of, but as valuable chemical resources. Turning plastic bottles into medicines could encourage better waste collection systems and investment in recycling infrastructure.
While further studies are needed to evaluate the economic and environmental impact of the process, the researchers believe the work demonstrates how chemistry and biology can be combined to tackle global challenges.
As climate change and plastic pollution continue to pose serious threats, innovations like this suggest that solutions may lie in reimagining how everyday waste is used, turning yesterday’s trash into tomorrow’s medicine.