How Long Does It Take For Plastic To Naturally Degrade?

The time required for natural degradation of different types of plastics varies, but generally ranges from decades to hundreds of years.

How long does it take for plastic to naturally degrade?

Plastic decomposes slowly in the natural environment and can cause pollution to the environment over time. The natural degradation rate of different types of plastics varies, and the specific time depends on the type of plastic and environmental conditions. 

1. Traditional plastic bags

Ordinary plastic bags usually take decades to hundreds of years to decompose. In most cases, plastic bags are not broken down, but rather broken down into tiny particles, further polluting the environment. 

2. Biodegradable plastics

Biodegradable plastics refer to a type of plastic that is degraded by natural microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and algae. An ideal biodegradable plastic is a polymer material with excellent performance, which can be completely decomposed by environmental microorganisms after being discarded, and ultimately become an integral part of the carbon cycle in nature by being inorganic. "Paper" is a typical biodegradable material, while "synthetic plastic" is a typical polymer material. Therefore, biodegradable plastics are polymer materials that combine the properties of both paper and synthetic plastics. 

3. Degradable plastics

Degradable plastics refer to some plastics that decompose through chemical reactions under natural conditions, but release harmful substances after degradation. 

The impact of plastic pollution on the environment.

Plastics have the characteristics of acid and alkali resistance, oxidation resistance, corrosion resistance, and biodegradability. When buried for hundreds of years without decomposition and combustion, they produce a large amount of toxic gases, such as Hel and SOx.  2. There are many types of plastic products, including fillers and pigments, which are difficult to sort, recycle, and reuse. 3. Plastic film reduces the quality of farmland, resulting in stunted crops and poor disease resistance; The residual film floats in the wind and has a significant impact on the surrounding environment, animal husbandry, and animal husbandry. Plastic is a difficult to degrade pollutant, and once it enters the environment, it can cause harm to wildlife and plants. Due to their ingestion of these plastics, they can cause health problems such as suffocation or indigestion. In addition, the "garbage dump" in the ocean is also one of the manifestations of plastic pollution. Plastic in the ocean can harm marine life and enter the food chain, posing a threat to human health. 

Methods for solving problems

Plastic pollution is a global problem, but it has the potential to be solved. On the one hand, scientists are working hard to find alternative materials for plastics, such as biodegradable plastics and alternative plastics. On the other hand, various countries and organizations are actively promoting plastic recycling and reuse, achieving a plastic life cycle of waste without pollution. 

Although different types of plastics require different times for natural degradation, they all require a longer time and can also cause serious environmental pollution. Therefore, in order to reduce plastic pollution, we should actively take measures, such as using biodegradable plastic materials and recycling.