Plastic waste eaten by enzymes ⏲️ 6 Minute English

Plastics can be difficult to recycle - could a recently discovered enzyme help? Neil and Beth discuss this and teach you some useful vocabulary.????????????

❓❓❓ According to the UN, around 400 million tonnes of new plastic is produced every year. Which of the following, if placed on a set of scales, would weigh about the same?

a) all the people on Earth?
b) all the cars on Earth?
c) all the elephants on Earth?

[Cover: Getty Images]

You can download audio and a free programme transcript here ????
https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/features/6-minute-english_2024/ep-240229

Vocabulary:
✔️incinerate - burn
✔️landfill - method of dealing with rubbish by burying it in large holes in the ground
✔️brittle - easily broken, cracked, or snapped
✔️downcycling - creating a recycled object of lesser value and quality than the original waste object
✔️enzyme - chemicals found in living cells which cause changes in other chemicals to happen while not being changed themselves
✔️show promise - have the potential for success in the future

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