Harnessing Insects for Plastic Biodegradation: A New Frontier in Waste Management

The increasing global plastic pollution crisis necessitates innovative waste management solutions beyond conventional recycling and disposal methods. Insects are most abundant living entity which serves in various biological functions in the ecosystems. Insects feeding on plastics and causing damage on plastic-packaged commodities have been documented since the 1950s. Significant advancements in plastic biodegradation were made following thediscovery of plastic degradation in 2015 bymealwormlarvae and in 2017 by waxworms. Recent studies highlight the potential of insect-mediated plastic degradation as a natural and sustainable alternative. Certain insect species, including waxworms, mealworms, rice moth, darkling beetles, termites, crickets and super worms have demonstrated the ability to degrade synthetic polymers such as Polyethylene (PE), Polystyrene (PS), and Polyurethane (PU) through enzymatic breakdown by their gut microbiota. This review explores the mechanisms of different insect orders of plastivores, insect-mediated plastic degradation, role of gut microbiota, and enzymatic pathways.Although it presents a promising eco-friendly alternative, challenges such as scalability and economic feasibility, optimization of microbial activity must be addressed before large-scale applications. Advancements in microbial biotechnology, genetic engineering, and environmental safety assessments will be critical for refining this approach. This emphasizes the need for multidisciplinary efforts to harness the full potential of insects in mitigating plastic pollution and highlights the future prospects of bioremediation strategies in sustainable waste management.