Not too fast: a critique on biodegradation of plastics, especially by marcoorganisms such as caterpillars

Caterpillars can consume plastics, but it is not a magic solution.

Caterpillars can consume plastics! Back in 2017, the world was getting to know this extraordinary phenomenon by global news coverage of findings of Bombelli et al. [1]. Their claims were that larvae of the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, consume polyethylene at an extraordinary rate, and moreover produce ethylene glycol as a major metabolite. News outlets started dreaming of recycling factories where caterpillars were fed with plastics and virgin, high value materials would come out. ...