When talking about materials, sometimes, we are not aware of the pollutants that these can be discarded or the time they take to degrade in nature. There are some more dangerous than others, just as there are materials that take longer to break down than others. For example, it is not the same that takes to decompose the biodegradable materials than those that are made of glass or plastic.
In this interesting ecology article, emphasis will be placed on What materials take less time to degrade. So, if you want to know more about the time it takes to break the garbage or, more specifically, how long it takes to degrade organic and inorganic waste, continues to read because then we clarify it and also talk about how to recycle these materials.
What are the materials that take less time to degrade
Would you know how long an apple takes to degrade? How long does it take for a banana peel? How long does orange skin take to degrade? How long does the paper take to degrade? Or, how long does it take to degrade wood? In summary, how long is the time that the different types of garbage that come from organic and inorganic materials take to degrade? We ask mainly about organic materials because they are The materials that take less time to degrade In nature, but there are also inorganic materials that take some years but not as many as other inorganic materials do. Next, we will answer these questions:
- Generally, a little or nothing processed food, as natural as possible, can have a degradation time of up to 6 months. For example, 6 months is what you need An apple wave orange peel To break down. However, the banana skin It takes some 4 weeks.
- The paper It is one of the materials that takes less time to degrade, because it does so in approximately 1 yearalthough it may take less time if factors such as rain intervene. Although its degradation time is short, it will always be better to recycle it to avoid deforestation. Here you can learn more about how long it takes to degrade paper.
- The wood It is a natural material and it is estimated to degrade between 2 and 3 years.
- The gum take until 5 years In disappearing, all thanks to the action of oxygen that makes them harden and wake up until their disappearance. Here we detail you more about how long it takes to degrade a gum.
- Aluminum cansused to pack as many products such as sodas, juices, beers or food, take 10 years in degrading. Learn more about how long it takes to degrade metal, such as aluminum and others, with this other post.
- Tetrabrik’s containers Composed of polyethylene by 20%, in U 75% cellulose and in 5% aluminum, it takes until 30 years in degrading. From this package the last material to degrade is aluminum.
- The steel and plastic lighters They have a degradation time of up to 100 yearsbeing also very polluting by containing some zinc, mercury, arsenic, cadmium or lead models.
Where to recycle the materials that take less time to break down
All the aforementioned materials can be recycled or deposited in clean points to be well managed. Here we tell you Where to recycle the materials that take less time to break down:
- Organic matter, that is, the waste from food and garden remains, it can be used to make compost or if not, it must be deposited in the containers destined to collect such waste, that is, in the brown container.
- The paper or also the cardboard must be recycled, for this there are containers (the blue container) intended for the collection of such materials. It is important to know that if these materials are dirty with organic matter of food, or similar waste, they cannot be recycled since the recycling process would be altered.
- The wood must be taken to the clean points that can be found in cities and towns, although it is also an old wooden furniture, there is always the possibility of giving a new use by reconstructing it, that is, practicing UPCyCling.
- The gum must be deposited in the garbage where all those wastes that cannot be recycled and will end up in landfills, that is, you have to throw them into the waste containers (they are usually gray or dark green).
- To recycle the cans and containers of Tetrabriks are deposited in the containers for these materials (yellow container), later they will be separated to take them to their respective recycling plants.
- The steel and plastic lighters is better to take you to a clean point, since these in addition to taking up to a century to decompose and can be very polluting.
What are the materials that take longer to degrade
We already know what are The materials that take less time to degradebut what are The materials that take longer to degrade or decompose in nature? Some examples are indicated below:
- Plastic bagswhich we generally use when we go to some trade to make a purchase, they can take until 150 years in degrading.
- The batteriesif these are left in the midst of nature or deposited in the containers that take the waste to landfills, they take to degrade Between 500 and 1,000 years being very dangerous since they are very polluting. That is why the batteries must be treated correctly. Here you can learn more about how long it takes to degrade a battery.
- PET bottlesvery present in our lives since they are used for water container. Sodas, juices, among other products, they take about some 1,000 years in decomposing. In this link you can learn more about how long the plastic takes to degrade.
- The glassmainly used for the production of containers of a large number of products, needs up to 4,000 years To be degraded. In this other post we talk about how long the glass takes to degrade.
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