How long does our trash take to break down?

[Catty1]

This is pretty darn interesting...

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how...decompose.html

• By: Jordyn Cormier
• August 21, 2017

Yes, yes, we all know it’s important to recycle. But do you actually know why?

Related: 5 Reasons Why People Don’t Recycle and Five Reasons Why They Should

Most people have no idea how long it takes for their waste to actually decompose once it is launched into the trash. The fact is, the precise time it takes your trash to break down varies widely and depends on the local conditions.
Here are some general estimates for common household goods to give you an idea what kind of influence your trash has on the environment:
Paper towel — 2 to 4 weeks
Banana peel — 2 to 5 weeks
Newspaper — 6 weeks

Apple core — 2 months
Cotton T-shirt — 2 to 5 months
Plywood — 1 to 3 years
Cigarette — 1 to 5 years
Wool sock — 1 to 5 years
Nylon-based fabric — 30 to 40 years
Tinned can — 50 years
Leather — 50 years
Plastic foam cup — 50 years
Rubber boot sole — 50 to 80 years
Soda can — 80 to 200 years
Disposable diaper — 450 years
Plastic water bottle — 450 years
Monofilament fishing line — 600 years
Plastic bag — 20 to 1000 years
Glass bottle — 1 million years
Shocking, isn’t it? In some cases, our trash is farting around in the environment for literally centuries to come. It is important to take this into consideration when tossing household goods. Always make sure to recycle items like glass bottles, which are easily melted down and reused instead of taking up environmental space for millennia. Don’t leave fishing line snips stream side where they will pollute your favorite fishing spots. And, for goodness sakes, stop using plastic bags!
Unlike glass, plastic bags leach toxic chemicals into the environment and are not always easily recyclable. Items like plastic bags have only been in existence for about 50 years, so we can’t know for certain if and when they ever actually decompose. Decomposition actually relies on microorganisms who feed on the trash, which, in effect, breaks it down rather quickly. Unfortunately, plastic bags are made of polyethylene, something that those little critters don’t recognize as food. So, without the assistance of microorganisms, plastic bags can only photodegrade under the sun’s UV rays, which takes a really, really long time. Whether it is 500 years or 1000 years, the time it takes for single use plastic shopping bags to break down into toxic microscopic crumbs is rather offensive.
We all need to be more mindful about the goods we toss into the landfill. Our actions have consequences and it is important to weigh this long-term consequence with the immediate convenience. Let’s work together to move away from our single-use, disposable culture and start caring about our home.
*data sources: https://www.des.nh.gov, http://www.alternet.org

[cats4ever]

Thank you, Candace, for posting this! Everybody needs to read this.
This is what happened at our house a few months ago:
On trashday, regular trash gets picked up first, then the recycling truck arrives a few minutes later.
Lately, the empty recycling bin has been placed on top of the empty trash toter. I thought this was strange, until we figured out what happened:
It was a signal from the trash guys that the recycling crew didn't have to stop, BECAUSE THE TRASH GUYS DUMPED THE RECYCABLES INTO THEIR TRUCK!!! (capital letters because I was fuming).
We got proof of this by taping it. Then we called their supervisor. It took several calls before this got resolved.
Otherwise we would have taken the tape to our local TV station. Maybe we should have anyway.
They are probably still doing it at other stops on their route...

[Randi]

I agree, everyone should read this and stop using plastic bags. Hopefully plastic bottles won't be used much longer, either! The oceans are littered with plastic that fish eat when it breaks down to smaller pieces, so when we eat fish, we get it.

We have recycled glass bottles for many years here, and also have contaners for cardboard and for hard plastic items... and for batteries, too.

Let's keep out planet clean!

[mon]

These are very depressing numbers and facts. We recycle as much as possible, everything we can think of we try to recycle in the receptticles and one can only try to do their best. That being said, as one gets older, buy what ever the hell you want. Especially if you are unwell and want to buy over packaged food, throw things that will never disinegrate wherever the hell you please and then have the courtesy to die.