This happens because of oxidation: the chemical reaction that takes place when a substance comes into contact with oxygen in the presence of heat or light. Plastics don't ever fully decompose – they just get broken down into smaller and smaller particles by natural processes. RAZOR's Amelia Martyn-Hemphill travelled to Madrid to find out more. She and her colleagues isolated unique, plastic-degrading enzymes from the saliva of wax worms, which could revolutionize the way we recycle plastic.Īnd together with his international colleagues at Beihang University, Dr Weimin Wu of Stanford University has spent years researching how yellow mealworms can break down polystyrene.
In Madrid, Dr Federica Bertocchini – a former amateur beekeeper – made an incredible discovery after cleaning out an infested hive and finding holes in plastic bags that she had used in the process. Plastic pollution around the world is growing relentlessly.Ī constant flow of plastic production is threatening to overwhelm existing waste management systems and recycling infrastructure, and microplastics have been found on every continent.Īs awareness surrounding plastic pollution grows, scientists worldwide are looking for sustainable alternatives to tackle the problem.Įnter the unlikely hero of fighting plastic waste: worms.
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