|
Decomposition Rates |
| paper |
2.5 months |
| orange peel |
1-6 months |
| cigarette butt |
5-6 years; chemicals also leach into water and poison wildlife |
| milk carton (cardboard) |
5 years |
| plastic bag |
10-20 years |
| plastic cup lids, utensils |
20-30 years |
| metal bottle cap |
50 years |
| foamed plastic cups, plates |
50 years |
| disposable diaper |
75 years |
| plastic bottle |
100-400 years |
| tin can |
50-100 years |
| soft drink can |
200-500 years |
| monofilament fishing line |
600 years |
| glass beverage bottle |
1 million years |
| styrofoam |
never |
Sources: Keep America Beautiful, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.