Many of us throw out garbage anywhere, in any place, in nature and wherever we want! Have you ever wondered how long it takes for it to decompose? I think it's unlikely. So let’s read this publication to know how long this garbage that we throw on the streets will last. The publication is informative, I hope many will draw the right conclusions!

Animal droppings are a problem in big cities. The decomposition period is short, only 10-15 days, but it causes a lot of trouble.


Food waste. They decompose in about a month.


Newsprint. Decomposition period from 1 month to 1 season


Leaves, seeds, twigs. Even they can cause serious pollution in urban environments. Decomposition period 3 - 4 months


Cardboard boxes decompose within 3 months


Paper. The most common office paper takes 2 years to decompose


Boards from a construction site. If they are not properly cared for, the decomposition period reaches 10 years.


Decomposition period 11 - 13 years


Iron cans. term 10 years


Old shoes - 10 years


Fragments of brick and concrete 100 years old


Car batteries are about 100 years old


Foil for over 100 years


Electric batteries 110 years


Rubber tires 120-140 years


Plastic bottles. about 180-200 years


Aluminum cans are almost the most dangerous waste. Decomposition period 500 years


And finally glass. No one knows how much of it is already packed in our holiday destinations. The decomposition period of glass is more than 1000 years; at least another 12-15 generations will enjoy our fragments.

Biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste

There is a common misconception that any waste that has been buried will decompose, especially in the case of bulk waste such as landfills. Amazing fact is that some types of waste, including plastics, remain intact without a single sign of decomposition, after many years.

Some types of waste are biodegradable, meaning that microorganisms in the soil can actually act on them to turn them into decomposed material. Soil containing biodegradable waste is actually richer nutrients, which makes this type of waste the best natural fertilizer. Other waste is not biodegradable at all. This means that no matter how much the garbage is exposed to microorganisms, it will not decompose at all.

Let's find out how long it takes to decompose various types garbage:

While most of the examples below reflect averages, it is important to note that environmental conditions are a major factor in the rate at which waste decomposes. Some conditions catalyze decomposition processes, while others can cause it to stop completely.

Food waste

Depending on the type of food, it may take days, weeks or months for food waste to completely break down. The presence of a special vessel is a factor that affects the rate of decomposition of food waste. Suitable tanks can actually lead to accelerated decomposition.

Paper waste

Under average conditions, paper takes about 2-6 weeks to decompose. However, recycling saves space in landfills.

Glass

Although this is one of the most simple products for processing, the story turns completely into opposite direction, when glass is thrown into a landfill because the minimum time it can take to decompose is a million years. Some researchers say that it does not decompose at all.

Aluminum cans

Aluminum cans, for example, for beer or cola, require 80 to 100 years to completely decompose.

Diapers

Disposable diapers can take 250-500 years to decompose.

Plastic

We interact with it in almost every aspect of our lives, from plastic bags to more complex plastic products, which are the most polluting waste products worldwide. Plastic can take thousands of years to decompose. Not all plastic products have the same decomposition time. For example, some materials may require much less time. At the same time, researchers say that some types of plastic do not actually decompose at all.

To reduce environmental pollution from garbage, the best solution is recycling as possible more waste. Deploying technologies and organizing advanced waste management will help save land covered garbage dumps. Avoid using products related to solid waste, is also a promising solution to the problem. All of this requires collective responsibility, both locally and globally.

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Details Published: January 29, 2016

Plastic degradation has become one of the the most pressing problems modernity, since the planet faces a very real danger of completely “drowning” in the mountains plastic bottles And plastic bags.

IN Pacific Ocean has already formed near Indonesia the whole continent from plastic bottles and other waste, exceeding in size the largest island - Greenland. And the production of plastic products and plastic containers is growing and growing - only over the last 10 years in Russia, its production volumes have increased 10 times.

Classification of additives that accelerate the decomposition of plastic

• Oxo-additives speed up the crushing of bags into small pieces, which are no longer so harmful to animals. All toxic properties are preserved, and the complete decomposition of these small pieces is not accelerated.
• Additives that accelerate the breakdown of polymer molecular chains under the influence of sunlight, a certain air temperature, moisture and other activating factors. The decomposition period of polyethylene with such additives is accelerated to 5 years.
• Additives that cause the release of carbon and hydrogen molecules from plastic, which are already freely absorbed by bacteria and fungi.
• Finally, biopolymer is a plastic made from plant waste, such as corn stalks. This is the most harmless and quickly degradable version of polymers today.

How long does it take for different types of plastic to decompose without additives?

Plastic decomposition occurs with at different speeds depending on its composition. Plastic bags decompose the fastest - about 100 years in the soil. Products made from polypropylene and other types of food and non-food plastic take much longer to decompose. The period for their complete decomposition in the soil is at least 500 years. For comparison, the decomposition period of aluminum cans is 500 years, tin cans - 100 years, bones - from 10 years. The decomposition period of plastic in water increases many times and is not even known exactly. Plastic bags floating in water cause massive deaths of fish and birds. But that's not all. During decomposition, plastic releases toxic substances into the environment that poison the soil and water (styrene, formaldehyde, phenol, chlorprene, urethane, etc.).

What other options are offered to solve the problem?

• Stopping food production plastic containers and plastic bags following the example of China and India.
• Further development of so-called biopolymers, that is, plastic that quickly decomposes in natural conditions without releasing toxic substances.
• Changing the composition of household polymers to reversible ones (those that can be melted down many times).
• Breeding a special type of bacteria that will process and neutralize plastic residues in special storage facilities. It is proposed to remove such bacteria using the method of genetic modification.

Depending on the main glass-forming substance used, glass is divided into oxide: silicate, quartz, germanate, phosphate, borate; fluoride, sulfide and others. And this is not organic material. And in fact, it doesn't decompose, it just collapses.

For example, thrown away glass bottle after a year it does not change its shape, after five years it turns into large fragments. After 10 years, the fragments, which have become small over time, become cloudy and become brittle under the influence of light. But if we have glass in the ground, then these processes are slightly slowed down.

As we see in this figure, in nature, from all the garbage, glass needs greatest number time.

Another squeak is a mirror of the planet, looking at the list under a microscope you can guess; understand what processes took place on it different times. PS: interesting: how to determine the age of glass?

Glass can lie under a layer of earth for several hundred years and nothing will happen to the glass. It will remain intact, only it will lose its quality as a fragment. It can last for about a thousand years without changing much. Maybe that’s why things happen forest fires that the fragment gave a spark from the scorching sun.

Glass is an alloy of several metal and non-metal oxides. Glass is not organic. Its composition is similar to sand or stone. Therefore, under terrestrial conditions, glass does not decompose at all. It crumbles, but does not decompose.

Only things of organic origin can decompose over time. Being a composition inorganic substances, glass cannot decompose either under the influence of water or sun, or over time. Glass bottles can hang around for centuries sea ​​waves or lie deep underground, and no decomposition occurs with them. I once had an interesting find on the Black Sea beach - something like a green transparent stone, smooth, beautiful and unlike anything else. Then all of us who saw this find came to the conclusion that it was water, wind and friction against stones that sharpened the piece glass bottle green! I would really like to know how long it took nature for this? I’m very sorry that I didn’t think to take a photo(.



Glass practically cannot decompose. The fact is that glass is made, roughly speaking, from sand, which itself also does not decompose due to its strong structure. The only thing that can cause glass to decompose in the ground is strong chemical influences, which do not occur in normal soil. Glass may, when exposed to, for example, water, wear down over time, but this is also a very long process, since glass is usually very smooth. The denser the structure of the material, the less it reacts chemically with external environment- the more difficult it is to decompose it into normal conditions. That is why all kinds of flasks, test tubes, etc. for chemical experiments and storage of chemicals and medicines are made of glass. Just imagine how long various ancient shards and tools made from materials less durable than glass lie in the ground - how many thousands, or rather millions of years it may take for glass to decompose.

If I remember correctly, glass is not an organic substance and therefore does not decompose under normal environmental influences. It is a very stable compound of several metal and non-metal oxides. In any case, there is no substantiated data on the decomposition time of glass.

Glass does not decompose, as it consists of inorganic substances. And only organic ones decompose. Glass is made from sand and metal admixtures, and this is a natural material. In general, glass by its nature in its solid form is resistant to any atmospheric factors.

Glass does not decompose or rot, since for this it must be edible for microorganisms. But the composition of glass is not organic. The main component is silicon oxide, which is very resistant to external factors.

The only thing that can happen to glass is crumbling. That is, glass can only crumble into tiny particles. And this one will take at least 1000 years, and maybe more.

Glass is not organic matter and therefore cannot decompose. Decomposition is the action of microorganisms on organic matter. But glass can disintegrate into microparticles. And this takes thousands of years.

Glass is made from sand. For glass to become sand again, more than 1000 years must pass. However, this is provided that the glass lies peacefully in the ground. If glass is thrown into the sea, it will rub vigorously against pebbles and, under the influence of salts, it will decompose faster.

Why biodegradable bags do not dissolve in nature, but paper does not a worthy alternative plastic and how to choose the least of the “packaging” evils.

The responsible consumer is constantly looking for alternatives that are least harmful to the environment, especially when it comes to disposable products. Let's figure out whether the biodegradable bags that we are offered in the store are such.

Photos from open sources

What is biodegradation?

Biodegradation is the process of breaking down organic materials into environmentally friendly substances through bacteria or other biological processes. Organic material can break down aerobically (with oxygen) or anaerobically (without oxygen). On at the moment There is no clear definition of the term "biodegradable" when applied to a product as a whole, as there are testing standards only for individual components.

What plastics biodegrade?

Biodegradable plastics – This is not a specific type of plastic, but a large family of different polymers. These polymers are made from plant materials and decompose into carbon dioxide and water. The raw materials for this plastic are corn, wheat, sugar cane and other plants. Biodegradable plastics also include polymers chemically synthesized from plant-derived monomers, such as polylactide (PLA). A number of plastics biodegrade natural conditions(e.g. starch-based plastics). Other plastics, such as polylactide, require elevated temperature and humidity. Prerequisites achieved through industrial composting; under natural conditions, such plastic can also decompose in a compost heap.

Photos from open sources

Biodegradable plastics include the so-called oxo-degradable ones. Oxo-degradable plastics are polyethylene with the addition of transition metal salts: cobalt, nickel, iron. The decomposition of such plastics in natural conditions occurs in two stages. At the first stage, under the influence of light and oxygen, the plastic product decomposes into small fragments of polyethylene and metal salts. The further fate of this plastic cannot be traced, although manufacturers claim that these fragments are broken down by microorganisms. At the same time, an independent study conducted in accordance with international standards, showed that within 350 days, only 15 percent of oxo-degradable polyethylene decomposes into carbon dioxide in the soil.

This means that plastic bag, which should have disappeared under natural conditions, turned into large number small plastic pieces and granules, which can exacerbate the problem of environmental pollution. It turns out that plastic actually decomposes, but it is unsafe for nature. In Belarusian stores, we are almost always offered exactly these oxo-degradable bags, which can hardly be called truly degradable.

How to find bioplastic?

Biodegradable plastics can often be identified by special labeling.

On the bag you can find the inscription “Compostable” / “Compostable”. This means that such plastic decomposes under special composting conditions (industrial or home).

The label “Biodegradable” means that the bag can biodegrade in nature, but it is not always known whether it is safe to degrade. At the moment, this label may also hide oxoplastic, which turns into microplastic.

Biodegradable plastics can be labeled with the number 7 in a triangle. The nuance is that the number 7 can indicate all new and little-studied plastics. That is, if you see 7 in a triangle, you may have either biodegradable plastic or some other plastic, including non-recyclable plastic. In order to obtain more detailed information about the type of plastic, you should carefully study the packaging.

Why is bioplastic not eco-friendly?

The raw materials for the production of biodegradable plastics are usually plant crops that we use as food (corn, wheat, sugar cane). That is, plastic production competes for raw materials with food production. As arable land shrinks and water resources this question may become decisive when making decisions about the further production of biodegradable plastics.

Photos from open sources

When purchasing products made from “dissolvable” plastics, it is important to understand what their further fate in our conditions.

Thus, biodegradable plastic only decomposes under certain conditions, which, as a rule, do not exist in our landfills. To properly dispose of biodegradable bags, they must be composted. Since there are no enterprises in Belarus that engage in industrial composting, this can only be organized at your own site. “Pseudo-degradable” oxoplastics naturally break down into smaller pieces of plastic, which leads to additional problems. Oxoplastics are also not recyclable, as they contain additives that reduce the mechanical strength of polyethylene. Therefore, the only way to dispose of such plastics is to throw them away along with other non-recyclable waste in a landfill.

Another important disadvantage of biodegradable bags is that their production requires a lot of energy and water, the use of valuable organic crops, which leads to higher production costs. However, they still do not decompose in landfills.

Why is paper packaging not the solution?

Paper bags are also a poor alternative to disposable packaging. Paper production uses virgin wood and, although it is a renewable resource, it is irrational to waste it on bags. Such production also requires large amounts of electricity and water. And most importantly: paper production produces large amounts of toxic wastewater.

Photo Recyclemag.ru

In addition, as practice shows, a paper bag can only be used once - it is fragile.

Perhaps the only advantage is that the paper is recycled and can rot in natural conditions without harm. However, here too it is important to remember that paper bags with inserts of other materials (for example, with plastic elements, metal eyelets, decorative elements), laminated, corrugated and do not have this advantage.

Many consumers are specifically looking for bags made from biodegradable materials in an effort to reduce their environmental impact. However, retail stores often sell oxo-degradable bags under the guise of being biodegradable. Over time, such bags crumble into dust, the further fate of which is unknown, however, just as it is unknown how dangerous this plastic dust is for humans and the environment. The only truly environmentally friendly alternative can only be a reusable rag bag: it will serve you for a long time and will not cause damage after ending up in a landfill. environment as harmful as a plastic bag. If you are in a desperate situation and have to buy a plastic bag, try to use it for as long as possible.

About the author

Maria Suma, employee of the environmentally friendly lifestyle program of the Center for Environmental Solutions

Ecologist. Engaged in the development of the Green Map project (Greenmap.by). Promotes the “zero waste” concept in Belarus: advocates for the prevention of waste generation and the use of harmless waste management practices.