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Depends on what would they produce as results of their metabolism? If they are going to poison oceans/lands with their products, it might cause unwanted kind of evolution.

> one of the most abundant materials

There's too much of it, and it's definitely harming the planet, but is it really that abundant in absolute terms?

It's abundant in the sense that there is no competition for it. I'd reckon it would be an evolutionary advantage to have complete monopoly over a resource.

Yes, but it takes a while. Plastics are somewhat recent on the evolutionary timescale.