Scientists may have discovered an unlikely ally in the fight against plastic waste: the lesser mealworm. Native to Africa but now widespread across the planet, a beetle larvae from the Alphitobius genus can consume and degrade plastic, the researchers found.
The finding could be particularly useful in combating plastic pollution in Africa, the researchers noted. The continent is the second-most plastic-polluted continent in the world, despite producing only 5% of the world’s plastic pollution, according to the World Health Organization.
In the study, published Sept. 12 in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers found that the lesser mealworms can digest polystyrene, a type of plastic commonly found in Styrofoam food containers and packaging. The team isn’t sure of the species yet, and think it may be a new subspecies that needs to be identified.
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