Researchers at the International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology have identified the Kenyan flour beetle larvae as a potential solution to plastic pollution. Capable of consuming and breaking down polystyrene—common in food packaging—these larvae digested nearly 50% of the material they ingested. The larvae’s gut bacteria play a crucial role in this process, suggesting that enhancing these microbial communities could improve plastic degradation. This groundbreaking study opens pathways for recycling plastics into high-value insect protein, addressing plastic waste particularly in Africa, which faces severe plastic pollution despite low production rates.