Question
Why is it a problem that plastics are not biodegradable, when other materials like metals are also not biodegradable?(1 point)
Responses
Plastics have been chemically altered from natural resources and cannot be restored.
Plastics have been chemically altered from natural resources and cannot be restored.
Metals can at least be recycled and used more than once.
Metals can at least be recycled and used more than once.
Plastics are more of a problem because they float in water, but metals sink.
Plastics are more of a problem because they float in water, but metals sink.
Metals can be broken down by corrosion.
Metals can be broken down by corrosion, while plastics cannot be broken down naturally.
The answer is Plastics have been chemically altered from natural resources and cannot be restored i think
Yes, you are correct. Plastics have been chemically altered from natural resources and cannot be restored, unlike metals which can be recycled and used again. This is why the fact that plastics are not biodegradable is a problem.
Metals can be broken down by corrosion, while plastics cannot. This means that over time, metals will naturally degrade and break down into smaller pieces. Plastics, on the other hand, do not degrade in the same way and can persist in the environment for hundreds of years. This is a problem because plastics can accumulate in landfills, oceans, and other ecosystems, leading to pollution and harm to wildlife. Additionally, unlike metals, plastics cannot be easily recycled or reused, exacerbating the waste management issue. Therefore, the non-biodegradable nature of plastics poses a significant environmental problem compared to metals.
The correct response is "Metals can at least be recycled and used more than once."
Plastics not being biodegradable is a problem because they cannot be broken down by natural processes like bacteria and fungi. This means that when plastics end up in the environment, they persist for a very long time, contributing to pollution and waste accumulation.
On the other hand, while metals are also not biodegradable, they can be recycled and reused multiple times. By recycling metals, we can reduce the need for extracting and processing new raw materials, which has significant environmental benefits. In contrast, once plastics are produced, they cannot be easily restored to their original state or recycled in the same way as metals.
Therefore, the fact that plastics are not biodegradable is a more significant problem compared to metals because it leads to long-lasting environmental pollution, whereas metals have the potential for a circular economy through recycling and reuse.