Mealworms can eat plastic?! 😳

Mealworms have been found to eat and digest polystyrene, converting it into carbon dioxide and biodegradable waste, thanks to the bacteria in their guts which break down the plastic.

It's important to note that biodegradation by mealworms is a slow process. While it's a promising avenue for plastic waste management, it's not a quick solution for the current plastic pollution crisis

However, mealworms cannot survive on plastic alone and require an additional food source, such as corn meal, oat bran, or wheat bran, which can alter their

What's stopping us from using mealworms to reduce the waste in landfills?

Imagine if scientists find a way to extract these enzymes so that we can digest and excrete plastic as well.

Could you just dump these guys at a landfill or do they need special conditions? (I'd guess they'd probably just try to eat the easier to process non-plastic stuff too)

There's no way he picked them up with bare hands

"Yup, nature’s little recyclers! 🐛♻️ Imagine using mealworms to tackle plastic waste—science never ceases to amaze. 🌍"

The eat plastic and poop tiny soda bottles.

Do they digest them, or do they end up containing microplastics which end up in the food chain?