As I read this I was reminded of how trees in prehistoric times piled up because no bacteria had evolved to eat them yet:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/phenomena/2016/01...

We don’t feel so bad about using paper or wood because it now biodegrades, but if those organisms hadn’t evolved, we’d be worried about wood and paper the same way we worry about plastic.

This article suggests there are some bacteria that has already evolved to eat kinds of plastic:

http://theconversation.com/how-plastic-eating-bacteria-actua...

Maybe in a few decades with more research, we’ll have solutions for plastic that don’t involve sending it across the world?