Plastic-eating bugs | Innovative Green Solution: Mealworms Degrading Plastics

How the small but powerful mealworm larvae help biodegrade plastic, reduce plastic waste and protect the environment? In one month, mealworm larvae can eat between 300 and 800 grams of styrofoam. If 1 kg of styrofoam is incinerated, it emits around 4 kg of CO2. When mealworm larvae eat 1 kg of styrofoam, the emitted amount is 4000 times lower - only 1 gram of CO2.
The idea for biodegradation of plastics with the aid of mealworm larvae is one of the 16 innovative solutions, geared to accelerate the green transition, supported by the EU within the ‘EU for the Green Agenda in Serbia’ initiative.
The idea of biodegradation of plastics using mealworm larvae is one of 16 innovative solutions aimed at accelerating the green transition, supported by the EU within the 'EU for the Green Agenda in Serbia' initiative. Plastic waste continues to pose a significant environmental challenge, necessitating novel disposal methods. The use of insects, specifically mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor), to biodegrade plastics is a key innovation from Belinda animals doo and the ‘Siniša Stanković’ Institute of Biological Research in Belgrade.
According to Boris Vasiljev of Belinda animals, insects have long been known to degrade various types of waste, with mealworm larvae capable of breaking down plastics like Styrofoam, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polyurethane. The ‘Siniša Stanković’ Institute has been breeding these insects for decades, creating a self-sustainable insect population in the laboratory. This led to the formation of an incubator center, leveraging existing expertise in breeding these larvae.
Insect-assisted biodegradation of plastics is environmentally sustainable and cost-effective, requiring no special conditions. Larvae consume and process plastics with other food, aided by microorganisms in their digestive tracts, resulting in complete digestion without harmful residues. Their excrement (frass) also contains no plastic bits or harmful materials, making it suitable for use as organic compost.
Mealworm larvae are bred in small areas with easily accessible food like wheat bran and organic waste, without additives, pesticides, antibiotics, or excessive water and energy consumption, leading to significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. For instance, incinerating one kilogram of Styrofoam releases about 3.96 kg of CO2, while mealworms completely digest it without such emissions.
An intensive breeding program for mealworms is planned until the end of the year, with four initial breeding rooms and six more by September. The goal is to adapt substrates and plastic content to encourage rapid multiplication and effective biodegradation, scalable for restricted breeding environments within agricultural households.
Mealworm larvae are rich in protein (45-60% of dry mass), fats (30-45% of dry mass), vitamins, Omega-3, -6, and -9 fatty acids, fiber, and minerals, making them an excellent animal feed source. Their nutritional composition surpasses that of other feed components, promoting better growth and health in animals. Unlike other protein-rich feeds that require large surface areas and significant energy and water, mealworms have a lower environmental impact.
Currently, Serbia lacks legislation on using insects in animal feed, but harmonization with EU provisions is expected. For now, mealworm larvae can be used on individual agricultural holdings. Potential beneficiaries include farmers and breeders of poultry, pork, fish, as well as crop farmers and food growers, due to the high-quality organic fertilizer (frass) and future animal feed factories.
Despite potential initial resistance, the benefits of using mealworm larvae are likely to attract many farmers, establishing a network of insect farms. Implementing this initiative in just 1% of agricultural households in Serbia could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 348,430 tonnes over 20 years, equivalent to the CO2 absorption of over 15 million trees.
The ‘EU for Green Agenda in Serbia’ project is technically and financially supported by the European Union and implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Environmental Protection, UNDP, the Embassy of Sweden, and the European Investment Bank (EIB), with additional funding from the Governments of Sweden, Switzerland, and Serbia.