A recent investigative report in an environmental science journal examines the transition toward circular bioeconomies in regional agriculture:
In the agricultural heartland of Michoacán, Mexico, the industrial processing of avocados generates hundreds of thousands of tons of discarded seeds annually, presenting a severe organic waste management crisis. Rather than allowing these agro-industrial byproducts to decompose in open landfills—where they emit greenhouse gases and leach tannins into local groundwater—materials scientists and regional cooperatives have pioneered the chemical synthesis of biodegradable biopolymers from avocado seed starch. This bioplastic alternative naturally degrades within 240 days under standard soil conditions, whereas conventional petroleum-based plastics persist for centuries. Although commercial scaling currently faces financial hurdles and specialized processing requirements, this integration of agro-waste valorization demonstrates that regional ecological hazards can be effectively converted into sustainable industrial feedstock without displacing fertile land allocated for food cultivation.
Which of the following statements best expresses the primary main idea of the passage?
- ABiopolymers derived from avocado seed starch decompose naturally in soil within 240 days compared to petroleum plastics.
- Transforming agro-industrial avocado waste into biodegradable biopolymers offers a viable model for ecological problem-solving without displacing food agriculture.Answer
- CAvocado seed bioplastics have already replaced traditional petroleum packaging throughout the national agricultural supply chain.
- DHigh initial synthesis costs prove that converting organic agricultural waste into bioplastics is an unsustainable economic strategy.