Kenyan scientists find mealworm that eats plastic waste  

The mealworm, a beetle larvae, was found to digest polystyrene, a common packaging material that is hard to break down.

Through the research led by Dr. Fathiya Mbarak Khamis at the Icipe research centre in Nairobi, the team first noticed the insect in chicken coop litter.

It looked like the yellow mealworm, known for eating plastic in Europe and the U.S.

The researchers fed the larvae three diets: polystyrene alone, bran alone, and a mix of both. Larvae fed on the mix survived better and ate more plastic. They broke down 12% of the plastic they ate during a month-long trial.

“We identified it using molecular tools and decided to test if it could feed on plastic,” Dr. Khamis was quoted as saying.

Khamis added that the worms' gut bacteria play a key role.

Larvae eating plastic had high levels of bacteria that can break down complex materials.

The team is optimistic that the bacteria could be used to develop new ways to manage plastic waste.

Dr. Khamis also highlighted the importance of the discovery for the African continent where plastic waste is a growing problem due to low recycling rates.