22/02/2022
🌿Sustainable startup from Russia: how can bugs be useful for plastic recycling at home and in the office?
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The problem of plastic pollution becomes more and more meaningful for many of us. Fortunately, there're a few ways to reduce our negative impact on the planet, and one of them is really unusual - using bugs for recycling. So, scientists from Yakutia, Russia, made a research on plastic-eating insects, found the best ones for recycling and created a socially significant environmental startup "Xenos".
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How does it work? Plastic is degraded due to the action of internal bacteria of Sophobas morio - bugs, which play the biggest role in the recycling process. The researchers calculated that 100 bugs consume more than 300 grams of different plastic in 12 hours (polystyrene and polyethene which is used for the plastic bags). 'Xenobox', a box where bugs live, has three sections. Each of them is a house for about 300 bugs. This amount is enough to help a family of 3-4 people recycle household plastic: bags, packaging made of polystyrene and polyethene. Actually, everyone can buy a 'Xenobox', its price is about $80.
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The project has already been awarded at the annual republican exhibition Sakha Innovation 2021, and the startup's CEO, Evgeny Popov, was also awarded as the best inventor.
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✅We hope, this idea will continue to develop and grow, as it's a great example of a sustainable and innovative approach toward our future!
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