Polyester is a synthetic material used for many different purposes. It is produced from petroleum and natural gas. Producing polyester from these natural resources requires many steps and uses other chemicals that are potentially harmful. Polyester production also requires a lot of energy. Although polyester is not biodegradable, it is easily recyclable.

Question

Which statement about synthetic materials is best supported by the example of polyester?
A.
Using synthetic materials has a negative impact on the environment, but using natural materials does not.
B.
Synthetic materials created from petroleum and natural gas are difficult to produce and to recycle.
C.
Materials that are created from natural resources affect the environment more than those that are not.
D.
Producing certain synthetic materials could have a greater environmental impact than disposing of them.

Answer 1

The statement that is best supported by the example of polyester is:

D. Producing certain synthetic materials could have a greater environmental impact than disposing of them.

This is supported by the information that producing polyester requires many steps, uses potentially harmful chemicals, and consumes a lot of energy, indicating that the production process has significant environmental impacts. Additionally, while polyester is not biodegradable, it is noted to be easily recyclable, suggesting that the impacts of production may outweigh the impacts of disposal.