Biodegradable bag

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/biodegradable-bag

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary decomposition agents?Bacteria and fungi facilitate the breakdown of biodegradable bag polymers
2. What is the common biodegradable polymers?Polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are frequently used materials
3. What are biodegradable bags and how do they work?Biodegradable bags are special bags that tiny living things can eat. Microbes like bacteria and fungi break the bag’s plastic into water, carbon dioxide, and new plant material.
4. Why are biodegradable bags better than regular plastic bags?Regular plastic bags can stay in landfills or oceans for hundreds of years and hurt animals. Biodegradable bags break down much faster, so they don’t stay around to harm the environment.

Bioremediation: The use of living organisms to remove or neutralize pollutants from a contaminated site.
Circular Economy: An economic model aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources.
Enzymatic Attack: The process where enzymes secreted by microorganisms break down complex molecules.
Polymer Chains: Long molecules made of repeating smaller units, forming the backbone of plastics and other materials.