New Solution for Plastic Waste?

Wax worm caterpillar will eat plastic shopping bags: New solution to plastic waste?

Posted: 24 Apr 2017 11:13 AM PDT

Generally speaking, plastic is incredibly resistant to breaking down. That's certainly true of the trillion polyethylene plastic bags that people use each and every year. But researchers may be on track to find a solution to plastic waste. The key is a caterpillar commonly known as a wax worm.

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Permalink Reply by f r on April 25, 2017 at 2:41pm

we need many of those caterpillars

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Permalink Reply by Strega on April 25, 2017 at 3:46pm

Will we know how to destroy the ravenous successful progeny?

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Permalink Reply by TJ on April 26, 2017 at 1:13pm

Apparently they poop out plastic grocery bags.

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Permalink Reply by Reg The Fronkey Farmer on April 26, 2017 at 4:10pm

In Ireland we have a tax of 22 cents on plastic bags at the point of sale. So almost everybody brings a “bag for life” with them when grocery shopping. It has brought in circa $250 million in revenue for the government and some chain stores no longer even stock them. We now take it for granted as it the law for the last 10 years. Places one no longer see them is along the street or blown into rivers or on beaches.

I refused one in a shop in Florida which was meant to hold a small pocket sized item. The salesperson almost insisted I had to take it. It led to a conversation where I quickly came to realize that nobody in the queue had any concept of recycling or concern for environmental waste.

If you invested a few grand in a recycling business there you would be “first in” and could make a lot of money by being “kind to the environment”. Let me know if you want a business plan…..

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Permalink Reply by Gregg RThomas on April 26, 2017 at 6:22pm

"I've been carrying my own bags for 20 years."

Damn, those must be some ratty looking bags by now. :)

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Permalink Reply by Gregg RThomas on April 27, 2017 at 4:01am

I did not know that, but now I do. ;D

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Permalink Reply by TJ on April 28, 2017 at 8:12am

I compromise, as I simply reuse the plastic bags for groceries....basically, point of use recycling.

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Permalink Reply by Jeannie on August 7, 2018 at 11:13am

There is an easy solution to plastic waste. Hemp. Anything made of plastic can be manufactured using hemp. Hemp is environmentally safe and does not produce toxic chemicals

The pluses of hemp versus petroleum are numerous. Fist of all, you can get at least 3 crops a year from a field. Anyone can grow hemp. We can reduce the amount of fossil fuels, reduce or dependence on an evil product. Also, the oil rich billionaires and corrupt nations will have to think of new ways to make there money. This could, in theory, reduce the wealth inequality in all countries and start to invest in people. The Earths truest commodity.