As the world vanishes under a mountain of plastic , scientists have found a more popular way of getting rid of the waste than a plastic bag tax - worms.
The team from the US and China discovered the larvae of Tenebrio molitor, also known as yellow mealworms, can digest even previously non-biodegradable plastics such as Styrofoam.
Microorganisms in their guts degrade the plastic into carbon dioxide and transforms this into nutrition for the worms, according to the research.
The researchers said this discovery was an important weapon in the war against plastic, which as well as being unsightly poses a serious health risk.
Co-author Wei-Min Wu , a senior research engineer in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University, said: "Our findings have opened a new door to solve the global plastic pollution problem."
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