Approximate time it takes for garbage to decompose in the environment

estimated-decomposition-rates

Glass Bottle: 1 million years
Monofilament Fishing Line: 600 years
Plastic Beverage Bottles: 450 years
Disposable Diapers: 450 years
Aluminum Can: 80-200 years
Foamed Plastic Buoy: 80 years
Foamed Plastic Cups: 50 years
Rubber-Boot Sole: 50-80 years
Leather: 50 years
Tin Cans: 50 years
Nylon Fabric: 30-40 years
Plastic Bag: 10-20 Years
Cigarette Butt: 1-5 years
Wool Sock: 1-5 years
Plywood: 1-3 years
Apple Core: 2 months
Waxed Milk Carton: 3 months
Newspaper: 6 weeks
Orange or Banana Peel: 2-5 weeks
Paper Towel: 2-4 weeks
Place your content for the first column here.
Place your content for the second column here.






Information Source: U.S. National Park Service; Mote Marine Lab, Sarasota, FL (decomposition times); National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program. More info about marine debris is available at the NOAA Marine Debris Program and Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation websites.
Learn more about plastic in the ocean in “What We Know about: Plastic Marine Debris” Info Sheet and the “Plastics in the Ocean” Info-graphic, both from the NOAA Marine Debris Program.
https://www.des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wmb/coastal/trash/documents/marine_debris.pdf

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