Oyster mushrooms expected to break down toxins and microplastics in cigarette butts in Australian trial

Up to 1.2m butts to be diverted from landfill to a laboratory where scientists will work to transform the byproduct into a polystyrene replacement

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Up to 1.2m cigarette butts could be consumed by oyster mushrooms that break down toxins and microplastics as part of a trial funded by the Victorian government.

Up to 9bn plastic cigarette butts are discarded in Australia each year, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature, seeping harmful microplastics and chemicals such as arsenic into waterways and soil.

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