Crustaceans are some of the sea’s most sought-after delicacies, and they have the bonus of coming in their own durable packaging. Unfortunately, we’ve found little use for their exoskeletons, which usually end up in a landfill—or, if your chef game is at an all-time high, you’re at least using those shells for a lobster stock before grinding them up and throwing them in your compost bin.

Researchers at McGill University, however, have found a new use for lobster shells—making plastic.

The shells of insects and crustaceans contain a material known as chitin, a fibrous component of arthropods’ exoskeletons that’s responsible for their toughness. The chemical structure, first discovered by Albert Hoffman (of LSD fame), is similar to cellulose, a plant-derived compound that is used to make paper, cellophane film and textiles.