The subject invention concerns a novel plasmid and its use in a microbial host to degrade a variety of organic compounds. Some of these compounds, such as ethylene dichloride, are undesirable waste products found in various dump sites. The invention also con­cerns a novel microbe hosting the novel plasmid. The novel plasmid has been shown to encode the gene(s) responsible for the degradation of the organic com­pounds. Thus, microbes hosting this plasmid, denoted pEDC, can be used to degrade ethylene dichloride, and other compounds.