Styrofoam-Eating Worms Could Be the Key to Reducing Waste

Styrofoam makes up about 10 percent of non-fibrous plastics, according to researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia, and they found worms that fed on them naturally. These worms are beetle larvae and can eat through typical Styrofoam for now, but the research hasn't progressed to processed plastic.

The superworms have a bacterial enzyme in their gut that craves the material from Styrofoam hence the larvae's appetite for it. The conclusion came after three weeks of experimenting with their feeding habits when Superworms grew fatter and survived on Styrofoam.

The head researcher from the Queensland team, Dr. Chris Rinke, surmised that the microbes in their gut helped them digest the Styrofoam.

While it's unlikely that every household worldwide would get a Styrofoam-eating worm for a plastic waste cleanup, the scientists hope to use those gut enzymes to create a biodegradable waste disposal method.

Dr. Rinke likened their feeding method to the existing recycling methods, so the team is working on replicating it in a lab.

If it's successful, plastic waste will reduce drastically, although the world is already doing its best to eradicate it. Environmentalists encourage people to use alternative options instead of plastic, such as paper and biodegradable straws in fast food chains and paper and reusable eco-friendly bags at stores.

Superworms are next level for Styrofoam recycling because, under the current methods, they're one of the most difficult to transform. Many pickups reject them, leaving people to explore harmful alternatives like dumping to get rid of them.

Until Dr. Rink and his team find a way to harness the bacterial enzymes in Superworms, here are some ways to dispose of Styrofoam.

Reuse - repurpose the plastic into a fancy drainage for houseplants, a décor, a toy, or transform it into glue. Styrofoam becomes gooey glue when in contact with Limonene extracted from citrus peels). You can also search "Styrofoam recycling near me" and take it to your closest recycling plant.