Help With A High School Science Project?

Question

I would like to do a high school science project on Biodegradabilty using common school supplies such as pencils and paper. I have researched a great deal, but if you know of any biodegradable pencils, paper, or other common-place, biodegradable school objects, it would be helpful. Tips on how to present my project and what materials to compare would be useful also. I was thiking of burying normal printer paper and Green Biodegrable paper in moist soil, to see which one 'degrades' faster, or if the normal paper will degrade at all. I will do something similiar with the pencils. Comments and new opinions are all I'm looking for! The person who gives the most useful info will get Best Answer.

Thanks,

~Jane~

Answer 1

Try burring them in a compost pile. This way you already have the necessary bacteria needed for the decomposition. Another thing to try is not only the paper as in a whole sheet form, but also in shredded form. You will find they will decompose faster, the smaller you shred them.  Pencils are biodegradable, but wood takes a while to decompose.  Shredded (chipped) even wood decomposes faster. There should be little or no difference between "green paper and regular white paper. It's bond (thickness) will make a difference. Thinner will decompose faster. It all has to do with the amount of surface area available for the bacteria to work on.  School products like tape (cellophane) and plastic products break down faster in sun light. Plastic will last for many years buried, but will break down in a year or two in Sun light. With heat and UV radiation even plastic will break down into Hydrogen, and Carbon compounds. Remember it's made from Oil, which is just a hydrocarbon.