If Plastic Comes From Fossil Fuels, Why Isn't It Biodegradable? – The Wire Science - The Wire Science
6/10/2022 12:00:00 AM2 years 10 months ago
by Yael Vodovotz
by Yael Vodovotz
When something that is biodegradable, like a cardboard box, breaks down, microorganisms that are present in nature break down and digest the polymers in it.
A turtle entangled in plastic waste. Photo: Irene Y./Flickr CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
- Petroleum contains a lot of a chemical called propylene. To make plastic, refiners heat the propylene together wit… [+4860 chars] full article...