The world has a plastic pollution problem.

Let’s test ourselves so we can learn a bit more and see what we can do to help!

Remember there may be more than one correct answer! Answers are in bold italic

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1.Why are plastic bags found in some turtles’ stomachs?

a) They taste good

b) Turtles think they are jellyfish and that’s what they love to eat

c) They are eaten accidentally

d) They provide valuable vitamins and minerals

2. What does the term “single-use”plastic mean?

a) an item of plastic that can only be used by one person

b) an item of plastic that you can use over and over and over again

c) an item of plastic that you can eat

d) an item of plastic that is made to be used once only and then thrown away

3. If you don’t use a plastic straw to drink with, what are some alternatives

you can use instead?

a) You can use a re-useable metal or bamboo straw

b) You can sip your drink and not use a straw at all

c) Ask for a paper straw instead

d) All of the above

4. What are some things we can all do to help reduce using single-use plastics?

a) Take our own re-useable shopping bag to the shops

b) Always carry a re-usable water bottle with us

c) Say “no thank you” to single-use plastic bags when we are shopping

d) Buy more plastic bags

5. What happens to plastic when it gets into the ocean?

a) Some animals and seabirds mistake it for food

b) it dissolves and then the problem goes away

c) it turns into rocks and seaweed

d) it breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces of plastic called microplastics

6. How long can it take for a plastic cup to decompose?

a) one week

b) one year

c) 50-80 years

d) 1000 years

7. What kind of animals are threatened by ocean plastic pollution ?

a) Mosquitoes

b) Seabirds

c) Whales and dolphins and other marine mammals

d) Caterpillars

8. How long do you think it takes for a plastic bottle to break down on the ground?

a) 3 years

b) 5 years

c) 10 years

d) 450 years

Remember that nearly every piece of plastic EVER made still exists today!!

The first plastics were made from what?

A. Horn and tortoiseshell

B. Cellulose nitrate

C. Phenol Formaldehyde

D. Vulcanised rubber

What is ‘plant plastic’ made of?

A. Plastic

B. Corn starch/cellulose

C. Micro-organisms

D. Can be all of the above

What insect has recently been found to eat certain types of plastic?

A. Woolly Caterpillar

B. Wax Moth

C. Paper Wasp

D. Meal Worm

Last year scientists discovered a plastic-eating bacteria called Ideonella sakaiensis. Where was it found?

A. In a public swimming pool

B. In a recycling plant

C. In the gut of a jellyfish

D. In a plastic lunchbox

A rare fungus has been genetically engineered by German scientists to eat polyurethane. Where was the fungus discovered?

1. Malaysian palm plantation

2. Japanese cypress forest

3. Ecuadorean rainforest

4. Hungarian woodland

Lastly, list the following in order of the most common types of rubbish found in Bronte clean-ups:

1. Straws, cups and lids, plastic drink bottles, plastic bottle lids

2. Cigarette butts

3. Plastic bits and pieces

4. Foil wrappers

5. Foam insulation