Plastic is almost everywhere, in virtually everything you use. Chances are, you’re reading this on a smartphone or laptop which has plastic in it. Your drink bottle is probably plastic, as are parts of your car, food packaging, and hundreds of other daily items.
In short, plastic is an integral part of modern life. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a good part. Plastic is known to take a long time to break down. If you are concerned about our environment then you should consider what plastic items you’re buying. The type of plastic can make a difference.
How Long Does It Take For Plastic To Break Down?
plastic break down – image 1 – landfill
Plastic can take anything from 20 to 500 years to decompose. The exact rate of decay and the time it takes varies. However, the truth is, that plastic never completely decays, it simply gets smaller and smaller.
According to studies, just over 8 billion tonnes of plastic has been made, and a staggering half of that amount has been created in the last 13 years!
There is so much plastic in the world that it’s been estimated that every human ingests a credit card’s worth of plastic weekly! Considering how much is being produced and how long it takes to break down, an alternative is needed.
Does Plastic Fully Decompose?
Plastic takes between 20 to 500 years to decompose. However, fully decomposed simply means it has broken down into minuscule particles. You can’t see them but they are still there.
Regardless of how the process is sped up, the truth remains that plastic will never fully decompose. The remaining particles may be minuscule, but they still exist. The difference compared to many materials is that plastic is synthetic. That means there are traces of plastic everywhere, which is why research has found plastic particles in human bloodstreams.
Which Plastic Breaks Down Fastest?
Not all plastics are the same. Your standard single-use grocery bag will break down in roughly 20 years. In contrast, your traditional plastic water bottle is made of PET and will take approximately 450 years to break down.
Cigarette butts have plastic in them and will break down in just 5 years. A plastic-lined coffee cup will break down in roughly 30 years, but most other items will take in excess of 400 years.
More recently, manufacturers have started to use eco-plastics. For example, in 2021 research at Yale University created a bioplastic made from wood byproducts. It’s strong and durable but can, in the right conditions, break down in just three months.
Does Plastic Break Down By Itself?
plastic breakdown – image 2 – enzymes
Yes. As plastic becomes brittle it will break. Over time, it continues to break until the plastic is in microscopic pieces. The process happens by itself.
However, there are ways of speeding up the process. Plastic decomposition can also be aided when the plastic is nibbled by animals.
Of course, plastic particles become light enough to be transported by the air, invisible to the naked eye. They can get anywhere and everywhere.
Plastic microfibres have even been discovered in the deepest place on Earth, eleven kilometres below the Earth’s surface. Yes, it breaks down by itself, but plastic never becomes non-existent.
How Can We Decompose Plastic Faster?
However, it can still take years for this to happen. That’s why scientists are working on alternative plastics which can decompose much faster.
One technique is to add nanoclays to the plastic when it is created. This strengthens it and speeds up decomposition. Another is to add an enzyme to the plastic which will speed up the decomposition time.
Plants and bacteria have also been used to speed up the decomposition process. Research is ongoing, as are studies into how to recycle plastic effectively.
Will Recycling Help?
Yes and No!
On the plus side, recycling plastic to make new plastic means fewer natural resources are being used to create plastic. It also means tiny plastic particles aren’t being released into the atmosphere.
That means lower greenhouse gases, potentially reducing the effects of climate change.
However, recycling plastics can be costly and uses a lot of energy. This requires natural resources and could release harmful emissions.
In addition, many recycled plastics are significantly weaker than the original plastic material. It makes recycling traditional plastic a potentially harmful solution. However, it’s still preferable to continually producing new plastic items. Recycling, in any form, will help the environment.
How Many Plastics Can Be Recycled?
plastic break down – image 3 – recycle symbol
Plastic can generally be recycled only once. However, some types of plastic can be recycled as many as ten times!
PET is generally used for drink bottles and, surprisingly, is highly recyclable compared to most other types of plastic. It does depend on what it’s recycled into. If PET is recycled into polyester fibre it can only be recycled once.
HDPE can also be recycled, yet PVC is not easily recycled because it’s made of various substances. It’s difficult to separate them all.
In contrast, LDPE can’t be recycled, nor can polystyrene, although expanded polystyrene can!
Why Doesn’t Plastic Break?
Plastic isn’t a natural substance. That’s why it doesn’t break easily. Anything natural contains organisms and these can break down, allowing the material to become one with nature again.
As plastic doesn’t originate from nature, it can’t go back to it. That’s why it’s so difficult to break down any type of plastic.
Do Any Plants Eat Plastic?
Research has shown potential in this area. Specifically, using fungi! According to studies, two strains of fungi have been found which can reduce polypropylene to nothing in as little as 140 days. The two fungi in question are Aspergillus terreus and Engyodontium album.
While the research needs to be further refined, it shows that plants have the potential to break down plastic and, impressively, do it very quickly.
Of course, the original problem remains. Because many plastic items are made of a mixture of plastics, it can be very hard to find fungi that will eat the entire product.
Can Bacteria Help Plastic Decompose?
Yes! Research has shown that it’s possible to add plastic-eating bacteria to plastic when it’s manufactured. The bacteria will stay dormant inside the plastic while it is being used.
However, when it is discarded and the bacteria are exposed to nutrients in compost, they will spring into life. At this time, the plastic will effectively eat itself.
It will still take years for the plastic to completely biodegrade, but that’s significantly faster than traditional alternatives.
Are There Any Chemicals Which Can Help Decompose Plastic?
plastic break down – image 4 – bottle Image
Unfortunately, there aren’t any chemicals which can help plastic decompose faster. If there were, it is likely that the chemicals themselves would create a harmful effect on the environment.
However, chemicals and chemistry are still useful. They can be used to change the initial structure of the plastic. Research suggests that chemistry could make plastic stronger and more degradable.
Is It True There Will Be More Plastic Than Fish In The Ocean By 2050?
Yes. A report by the World Economic Forum found that, if we continue using and discarding plastics in our current fashion, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean as soon as 2050. The survey defined plastics and fish by weight.
In other words, the fish will still be able to swim around, but they’ll be swimming in plastic-infested waters.
Of course, this is an estimate as it’s very difficult to estimate the weight of all the fish in the sea. This challenge doesn’t change the fact that, unless things change, plastic will take over the oceans.
Do Worms Eat Plastic?
Worms can eat plastic. However, not all plastic is edible. For example, mealworms can eat Styrofoam and other types of polystyrene. Wax worms also emit a toxin in their saliva which is capable of degrading plastic significantly faster.
Mealworms eat between 34 and 39 milligrams of Styrofoam daily. It will take a while for them to eat it all.
Can We Just Bury Plastic To Get Rid Of It?
plastic break down – image 5 – plastic in ground
It’s possible to bury plastic. However, this isn’t really getting rid of it. Instead, it’s a case of ‘out of sight, out of mind’. Burying plastic simply defers the problem.
Because plastic decomposes really slowly, burying it means you can come back and it will still be there. In effect, you’re still cluttering the Earth. However, burying it is better than burning it.
Is It Possible To Burn Plastic To Get Rid Of It?
Plastic can be burned. The temperature of the fire needs to be higher than the melting point of plastic, this will turn it into a molten state. The molten liquid can then be poured into a new mould to make a new product.
Equally, it can just be burned. However, burning plastic means releasing an array of chemicals and carbon into the atmosphere. In addition, the fire will release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, potentially making the climate crisis worse.
Which Types Of Plastic Do The Least Damage To The Environment
In recent years scientists have spent a lot of time looking for plastic alternatives. The plastics which do the least amount of damage are eco-friendly ones.
Some of the best ones currently available are starch-based polymers, PLA polyesters (plastic containers made from corn), and PCL polyester which is biodegradable.
If you’re avoiding the eco-friendly options but still want plastic that does the least amount of damage, you’ll want to use PET or HDPE.
However, remember that plastic is made from oil and other substances. These items cause their own damage to the environment.
How Do We Know Plastic Takes So Long To Decompose?
It’s a good question. Plastic was first produced in 1907 yet we already know they can take close to 500 years to decompose.
The truth is, it’s an estimate. Plastic hasn’t been around long enough to see any of it break down. However, scientists can look at current types of plastic and see how the decomposition is processed.
This gives them the ability to look at the degradation process and see how long it has taken to degrade. By judging the age of a tree and how far it has decomposed, you can calculate how long it will take the plastic to decompose completely.
What Are BioPlastics And Can They Help?
Bioplastics are plastics made from natural materials. Most importantly, the materials used can decompose. Scientists have been encouraging the shift from traditional plastic to bioplastic to help save the environment.
The main advantage of bioplastics is that they are natural and don’t have a negative effect on the environment. Using them will help industries to stop relying on fossil fuels and can help save the planet.
Best of all, most bioplastics are much simpler to recycle.
Summing Up
At present, there is no realistic alternative to plastic and recycling plastics remains only a partially effective solution. The highest quality, and therefore most durable, plastic containers are basically non-biodegradable. However, choosing a premium product, such as what we offer at Srlon Group, means you’ll get a cost-effective solution. Your customers will appreciate the quality and even the ability to reuse containers.
That’s good for the environment and your business.
