Over 496 million tons of plastic are produced annually, contributing to a massive pollution crisis. However, a research team at Brandon University in Canada has discovered a potential solution: using waxworms, the caterpillars of the greater wax moth, to break down polyethylene plastic. These “plastivore” worms can degrade and digest the plastic, converting it into lipids stored as body fat. Approximately 2,000 waxworms can break down a polyethylene bag in just 24 hours. While an all-plastic diet is fatal to the worms, co-supplementation with other food sources could make this a sustainable solution. The researchers propose mass-rearing waxworms on a co-supplemented polyethylene diet as part of a circular economy. Alternatively, they could replicate the worms’ biological mechanisms synthetically in a lab. Other companies and labs are also exploring similar processes, including plastic-eating fungi and bacteria. While waxworms won’t reverse the plastic pollution crisis on their own, they could offer a low-impact way to help tackle the problem. This innovative approach could be a game-changer in the fight against plastic pollution.
Component of a regenerative economic system
