How Long Does It Take for Plastic to Biodegrade?

Who would have thought that something that revolutionized the way we live could become our biggest curse? Properly disposing of plastics, even if they are broken down into microplastics, is a great concern.

It is inherent for plastic to last a long time, which is not only incredibly useful to our daily lives but also creates tons of waste. In this article, we answer questions like how long it takes for plastic to biodegrade and more. So, keep on reading if you want to learn more and also play your part in protecting our environment.

How Long for Plastic to Biodegrade?

The two most important aspects of any plastic product during its manufacturing are its chemical structure and the material used to make it. Based on that, it can easily last from 500 years to 1,000 years. Even if the quality is lower, it can still easily last up to 20 years. That’s a lot of time for any item to decompose or biodegrade!

Now, tons of plastics will also react or degrade faster to UV radiation, which helps to break down any molecule, whether plastic or even our skin. Many landfills employ this method to speed up the process, which is called photodegradation, before covering them up.

Let’s look at different plastic items and the amount of time they might take to break down.

What are the Effects of Plastic Degradation on the Environment?

Here are some alarming effects that we need to understand first. Most plastics can easily take up to 500 years to degrade through regular processes. The speed can be increased if you have an ample supply of bacteria that can consume it over time.

Then comes PET, which uses a resilient chemical in its manufacturing. Unfortunately, bacteria aren’t able to consume plastics, so it takes a long time or more for plastics to degrade.

So now, what’s the solution? Well, to counter this, photodegradation is used to break down these plastics by UV radiation. The problem is that they break down into smaller pieces, which still are plastic after all! Plus, not all plastics in the landfill will see light soon due to space limitations and prime-time attention to already buried plastic products.

Landfills aren’t works of art; they look worse as time passes. Furthermore, they can release very harmful toxins that are bad for the environment and the soil they seep into. If municipalities aren’t careful in disposing of them in a timely manner, photodegradation can sometimes cause fires in landfills. That’s a whole different side of pollution.

Finally, many times, these plastic materials don’t go directly to landfills. Some end up in communities, canals, rivers, and even the sea, which are the easiest dumping grounds.

What Makes Plastic Difficult for Degradation?

The first thing to understand here is that we make plastic from petroleum, and even though it is a naturally occurring source, it is a purely chemical process. However, the problem starts when the result of this chemical process is very different from any other. Plastic items are meant to stand the test of time and all the elements. Tons of energy are required to break the chemical bonds embedded in plastics. On top of that, you also have to factor in issues that can and will arise from toxins created by degradation.

Modern Solutions to Modern Problems

All is not lost, as professionals and scientists have been hard at work to bring in many solutions. Here are some of these:

• Bioplastics can be more easily degraded than regular plastics, even though they aren’t any more natural than them.
• If the base material is a crop like sugarcane or corn, you can have plant-based plastics.
• A lot of research and development is done to make this degradation easier for regular plastics as well.
• Ongoing research on bacteria that can eat plastics. It is resilient enough to survive the toxins generated here.
• Naturally, breaking down plastics like BPDs, PHAs, and PLAs is more common now. Some of these are made from plants, which makes them more renewable.

Now that we understand that there are many solutions to these problems, here are a few important terminologies that you should understand. The purpose of these terms is to make it easier for manufacturers and consumers to know which type of material they are using.

• Degradation—There are different methods, but microplastics are still a problem. So, you use different chemical additives to completely break them down so they can return to Mother Nature.
• Composting—Biodegradable plastic bags can degrade with the help of bacteria and water into natural components like CO2 and biomass. This method helps the decomposed particles from compostable plastic bags mix with natural soil.
• Biodegradation—This is similar to composting, but only for biodegradable products. Composting is for natural products after biodegradation is done. It is less safe than composting due to toxin release, but safer to use than regular plastic breakdown.

Important FAQs

How is Recycling Different from Reusing Plastic?

When you break down, shred, or reprocess any plastic material and then use it as buffer material in making new products, this process is called recycling. Reusing, on the other hand, is either keeping the same item or repurposing it. You can find new ways to use it, like DIY projects, to make something out of old plastics.

How Long Does It Take to Biodegrade Plastic Completely?

Based on its quality, structure, and the ratio of bio-based material, plastic can easily take up to 500 years to biodegrade. Different factors such as sunlight, heat, temperature, and additives can further increase this process.

What Does Plastic Decompose Into?

The first thing is that it will decompose into microplastics and toxins if it has plant-based material, then CO2 and water. If you have more plant sourcing in manufacturing, then the natural constituents of any product.

Final Words

As you can see from our discussion today and the table we shared, the most important question is how long it takes for plastic to biodegrade. The amount of time to degrade is massive, hence the need to shift to biodegradable. With increased research and development, there will be better options to use instead of regular plastics.