Interestingly my great grandfather headed up research efforts on breeding fungal resistant rubber trees as head of a national research institute in now Sri Lanka. Man he'd be rolling in his grave at the thought of public opinion and cheap (and non-biodegradable) synthetics holding back natural rubber production.

Synthetic rubber being the largest microplastic source in the world is an incredibly stroke of irony. Reminds me of us discovering that adding tetra ethyl lead to fuel might not be a wonderful idea.