Question

Which discovery would have the greatest impact on reducing the negative consequences of plastic?
1. the discovery of a new bacteria that consumes plastic waste
2. the discovery of new sources for the raw materials of plastic
3. the discovery of more ways to incorporate plastic in everyday goods
4. the discovery of more ways to reuse plastic

Answer 1

The discovery that would likely have the greatest impact on reducing the negative consequences of plastic would be **1. the discovery of a new bacteria that consumes plastic waste**.

Here's why:

- **Biodegradation**: If a bacteria were discovered that could effectively consume and break down plastic, it would provide a biological solution to the massive amounts of plastic waste currently polluting the environment. This could revolutionize waste management and reduce the need for landfills and incineration.

- **Sustainability**: Using bacteria to break down plastic could lead to a more sustainable approach to dealing with plastic waste, potentially transforming it into less harmful byproducts or even useful materials.

- **Scalability**: The implementation of such a biological solution could be scalable and used in various environments, including oceans, landfills, and urban areas where plastic waste accumulates.

In contrast, while the other options (new sources for raw materials, more ways to incorporate plastic, and reusing plastic) could potentially improve the situation, they do not directly address the vast quantities of existing plastic waste and its environmental impact as effectively as a bacteria that consumes plastic would.