Researchers in Kenya have identified a species of insect that could play a role in reducing global plastic pollution. The Kenyan lesser mealworm, the larval stage of the Alphitobius darkling beetle, has demonstrated the ability to consume and break down polystyrene, commonly known as Styrofoam.
Polystyrene is notoriously difficult to recycle due to its durability and the high costs associated with processing this material. It makes up an estimated 35% of all landfill waste, where it can take 500 years to decompose and still continue to persist in the environment for over a million years.
In a monthlong experiment, scientists discovered that the Kenyan lesser mealworm could survive on a diet of polystyrene and consumed over 11% of the material when fed alongside other foods.
The larvae’s ability to consume polystyrene is believed to stem from gut bacteria within the insects that is capable of producing enzymes that degrade synthetic plastics.
Researchers found that these bacteria appear to adapt when the larvae consume plastic, raising the possibility of replicating these enzymes for industrial applications. Future studies aim to isolate and scale up these internal mechanisms and explore whether the insects can break down other types of plastic.