Thanks for the comment. I had to think a little on that one.
First off, the concept of heresy shouldn't exist in science. Second, even with the problems around plastics, I'm positive that a world with bioscientific process is better than one without. Without science, we wouldn't even know that plastics are bad. We would eat unhealthy, live unhealthy, and have no medical treatment when we get sick.
But of course, also science should aim at working as sustainable as reasonably possible. I am not aware of anyone working on a solution t the material chemistry front, but since there's growing awareness, I wouldn't be surprised.
I used a metaphorical expression as to point out that I perceive in general public an avoidance towards an approach that takes on a critical attitude towards science itself. I appreciate this a lot when scientists do openly talk about their blind spots in their particular field. .... maybe I should to some search for finding interesting debates on that.
The deeper meaning of my sentence points towards my way of agreeing with scientists who include a critical view on their scientific work. There are always downsides attached to "upsides". Solutions and cures - or the side effects of the methods - do not own only positive effects but negative as well. Here, you talked about the downside - I found that sensible.
In the circle of scientists themselves I can imagine that there is another form to deal with criticism in the sense of giving valuable feedback once the scientist agree on the fact that they are not only carrying responsibility for what is helpful but also for what is harmful.
You mentioned the missing funds and as far as I know this is always an issue within the sciences which do not work alone with the given applications of scientific findings but drive the investigation further. It makes sense to having the desire to work on problems which obviously do have negative impacts on the environment. One does not to have to exclude the other. I did not say that a world would be better of without bio scientific process.
I fully acknowledge the many applications science is providing us with. I would have liked an example which gives hope that there is actual new science in process which deals with the plastic problem in this field. I am not an expert and I would probably have more difficulties in doing a research if something is out there which can be dropped here in the comment section.
Well, there's research going on regarding the plastic problem in general: bio-degradable polymers, advanced waste-sorting machines, bacteria that can "eat" plastics, recycling plastics to a kind of oil, etc. etc.
Of course, should any of those techniques experience a breakthrough, this will have an impact on us aswell. But until that, I think we need to come up with some solutions of our own.