How Long Until it’s Gone…
Ever wonder how long it takes a plastic water bottle to decompose once it’s been buried in a landfill? How about a disposable diaper? Or a plastic bag? The answers may surprise you. Here is a list of the average time it takes for many of the items you routinely throw away to decompose…
- Glass Bottles – One Million Years
- Monofilament Fishing Line – 600 Years
- Plastic Bottles – 450 Years
- Disposable Diapers – 450 Years
- Aluminum Cans – 80-200 Years
- Foam Plastic Cup – 50 Years
- Tin Can – 50 Years
- Nylon Fabric – 30-40 Years
- Plastic Bag – 10-20 Years
- Cigarette Filter – 1-5 Years
- Plywood – 1-3 Years
- Wax Milk Carton – 3 Months
- Newspaper – 6 Weeks
- Orange or Banana Peel – 2-5 Weeks
- Paper Towel – 2-4 Weeks
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Plastic Film Canister – 20-30 years
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Rubber Boot Sole – 80 years
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Leather – 50 years
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Wool Sock – 15 years
So before you throw something into the trash, ask yourself is “it really garbage?” Or can it be recycled, reused, or composted.