The smallest solution to one of our biggest problems

-----have evolved to produce powerful enzymes

• bacteria

• archaea

• fungi

• mammals

what are other ways to clean up our enormous mess of plastics?

Today a large fraction of plasticwaste

can be biologically degraded by microbes.

• t

• f

for now, the main way we deal with these plastics

is through energy-intensive physical and chemical processes.

• t

• f

Leaf Branch Compost Cutinases is enzyme that was identified from

• rotting leaves and branches,

• fish

• oil

Researchers isolated the genes coding for these plastic-digesting enzymes, and they operated best at temperatures below _˚C.

• 10

• 40

• 70

powerful enzymes

that break down tough organic material into digestible nutrients.

• t

• f

plastics are special type of material because

• almost no microbes can biodegrade:

• particular chemical formulation

To make most plastics, molecules from_ are refined

and turned into long, repeating chains called polymers.

• oil

• gas

• coal

• chemicals

Of that plastic waste, only ___% is recycled.

60% gets incinerated or goes into the landfills,

and the rest leaks out into the environment

• 10

• 5

• 60