TED-Ed: What really happens to the plastic you throw away - Emma Bryce

The video follows the journey of three plastic bottles, highlighting their environmental impact. Bottle one ends up in a landfill, contributing to pollution and taking centuries to decompose. Bottle two reaches the ocean, becoming part of the Great Pacific garbage patch, affecting marine life and entering the food chain. Bottle three is recycled, demonstrating a sustainable alternative. The video emphasizes the importance of recycling and the consequences of plastic waste.

What is the initial step in the creation of plastic bottles?

• Molding plastic into bottle shapes

• Chemically bonding oil and gas molecules

• Filling bottles with liquid

• Discarding bottles after use

What environmental issue is caused by bottle one in a landfill?

• Creation of microplastics

• Formation of toxic leachate

• Entanglement of sea birds

• Increase in ocean gyres

How does bottle two contribute to marine pollution?

• By decomposing quickly

• By becoming part of the Great Pacific garbage patch

• By being incinerated

• By being recycled into new products

What is the final fate of bottle three?

• It is lost at sea

• It becomes part of a landfill

• It is incinerated

• It is recycled into new materials

What process allows bottle three to be reused?

• Being buried in a landfill

• Being thrown into the ocean

• Being melted and reshaped

• Being incinerated