Sampah plastik menumpuk di pepohonan dan semak-semak di sepanjang Sungai Los Angeles. Citizen of the Planet/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Jika plastik berasal dari minyak dan gas, yang berasal dari tumbuhan, mengapa tidak dapat terurai?

Plastik terbuat dari minyak dan gas alam, yang dimulai sebagai bahan fosil tumbuhan dan hewan. Tapi terkubur jauh di bawah tanah selama jutaan tahun, bahan-bahan itu berubah dengan cara yang penting.
Plastic trash accumulates in trees and shrubs along the Los Angeles River. Citizen of the Planet/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

If plastic comes from oil and gas, which come originally from plants, why isn’t it biodegradable?

Plastic is made from oil and natural gas, which started out as fossilized plant and animal material. But buried deep underground for millions of years, those materials changed in important ways.

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