Gut bacteria from a worm can degrade plastic

Plastic is well-known for sticking around in the environment for years without breaking down, contributing significantly to litter and landfills. But scientists have now discovered that bacteria from the guts of a wax worm known to munch on food packaging can degrade polyethylene, the most common plastic. The researchers have found that at least two strains of gut microbes of the plastic-eating moth larva of waxworm could degrade polyethylene without a pre-treatment. They say the results point toward a new, more direct way to biodegrade plastic. This finding could lead to new ways of getting rid of the persistent waste.