How long does garbage take to decompose?

As humanity, we constantly consume various raw materials and generate billions of tons of waste every year. These are both plastic waste and metals, paper or organic waste. Used materials and leftovers end up in landfills and recycling plants, as well as in the soil, seas, lakes, rivers and oceans. How long does plastic waste take to decompose ? How long does it take for metals and paper to break down? We have collected the most important information.

What is garbage decomposition?

Under the influence of various external factors, substances undergo decomposition processes. Decomposition of garbage means the breaking down of a substance into smaller particles, usually involving:

• bacteria,
• mushrooms,
• moisture (water as a solvent),
• chemical compounds with corrosive properties (acids, bases).

In order for the waste to break down into smaller particles, time and appropriate conditions are needed. Garbage decomposes in its own way, differently in salt water, fresh water, in soil or in the environment of other garbage. During decomposition, various toxic compounds are emitted, such as: oxides, bisphenols or carcinogenic heavy metals.

Plastic decomposition time

Ecologists in all countries fight against the excessive production of synthetic materials, pointing out that they are one of the longest-decomposing types of waste. How long does it take for plastics to decompose ? The minimum decomposition time for plastic waste is 100 years. Of course, most of the plastic items and materials we use every day take an average of 300 to 1,000 years to fully degrade.

Plastic is therefore undoubtedly one of the most problematic types of waste. It can be found in many forms - for example: PVC, polyethylene, polyamide, polypropylene, polyurethane or polystyrene. Each of these plastics takes hundreds of years to decompose, polluting our planet. Artificial fibers are very resistant to microorganisms, which is why scientists are still working on creating bioplastics and biodegradable plastics. They are assumed to be raw materials with a decomposition time not exceeding 100 years.

What are biodegradable plastics?

The term biodegradable plastics includes both: polylactide (PLA), produced, among others, from corn, cellophane, produced from cellulose, and biopolymers, made from potato starch. Bioplastics are an interesting alternative to plastic. The decomposition of these biodegradable raw materials lasts from several to several dozen years, which is a very good result and an opportunity to reduce the amount of synthetic waste that is difficult to decompose.

How long does metal waste take to decompose?

Metals form another group of wastes that take a long time to decompose in natural conditions. The decomposition time, of course, depends on the type of material - for example, corroded steel degrades much faster than aluminum or precious metals. It is assumed that the minimum time of decomposition of metals is at least 30-50 years (in conditions of high humidity and acid or alkaline environment). Galvanized or coated metals take up to 200-300 years to decompose.

How long does it take paper waste to decompose?

Pure paper, produced from plant fibres, is one of the fastest decomposing raw materials. A sheet of paper, newspaper, tissue or cardboard undergo natural degradation in the soil after 3-6 months. Greasy and colored papers take much longer to decompose - depending on the degree of contamination, decomposition can take a year or even several years. Laminated and foiled paper decomposes similarly to foils, i.e. even several hundred years. Some types of laminated papers are not susceptible to microorganisms at all and will probably continue to litter the Earth for thousands of years.

How long does glass waste take to decompose?

It would seem that plastic is at the top of the infamous pyramid of the longest decomposing raw materials. Nothing more wrong! Glass breaks down much slower than plastic. It takes several thousand years for a glass bottle or other glass objects to disintegrate. According to many researchers and archaeologists, glass is able to retain its shape and structure for up to 4,000 years! Although it is a recyclable material, it is worth replacing it with other raw materials, for example: paper or biodegradable plastics.

Secondary raw materials - what is it?

One of the greatest challenges facing modern civilization is the problem of the development and processing of raw materials that pollute water and soil. If we allow waste to decompose for hundreds of years , the planet will become completely polluted.

How to reduce the consumption of resources and the amount of garbage we generate every day? For this purpose, it is worth reaching for recyclable materials as often as possible. These are materials and waste that can be recycled, i.e. reused. Many secondary raw materials are reusable plastics. They can be processed several times, which means that they do not linger in landfills. Examples of secondary raw materials are: waste paper, aluminum cans or plastic PET bottles. Reaching for them, we limit the amount of poisonous garbage that decomposes over the years.