How long does it take for plastic to decompose?

Question

When its left in a landfill/side of road/woods? And for effect does it have on the enviornment?

Answer 1

Plastic remains Fran's number one concern, quoting research which suggests that it takes up to 1000 years for plastic to decompose in the sea - twice as long as on land .

Answer 2

from about 100 to 500 years

Answer 3

Unless the plastic is specially designed to decompose in the soil, such

materials can last a very long time because the chemical bonds that hold

the molecules together are often stronger than nature's power to take

them apart. This means that soil micro-organisms that can easily attack

and decompose things like wood and other formerly living materials

cannot break the various kinds of strong bonds that are common to most

plastics.

Answer 4

supposedly its 500 years but this article says that they have only been around for about 50 so we are not really sure

this website should show what effects it has as well

http://www.vigyanprasar.gov.in/comcom/pl...

Answer 5

thousands of years

Answer 6

It all depends on the type of plastic. high density polyethylene  and polyethylene terephthalate, for example, can take upwards of 200 years to decompose completely. These are products such as laundry detergent bottles, soda bottles, cigarette lighters, etc.  Other plastics like walmart grocery bags will likely be gone in 20 or so years.

Plastic can have a seriously damaging effect on the environment during production and after disposal.

Some of the ingredients of plastic such as benzene and vinyl chloride can cause cancer. Others are gases and liquid hydrocarbons that poison the earth and air. Plastic waste itself is flammable and has caused many industrial accidents. Reducing the use of plastic is the only way to reduce the environmental hazards of plastic.

Answer 7

It depends on the quality of plastic that you want to know. Low density plastic does not decompose!

basically it takes more than 50 years for plastics to decompose.

Any municipality will face identical problems trying to solve problems related to plastics.

For this reason, substitute materials such as materials made out of sugar cane and corn are tested in replacement of plastics . . .

Answer 8

Most plastics can be forced to decompose into their basic petroleum constituents by merely heating them to vaporize them back into an oil refinery. We do not need to leave many kinds of plastic to decompose in landfill.

Answer 9

Up too around 600 years possibly!!!

Answer 10

70 years was the quote in the 70's when we first used it for sewer pipe.

Answer 11

A lot depends on the type of plastic and the environmental conditions to which it is exposed.  I know that one of the most difficult plastics to decompose is styrafoam.  The 1/2 life is 500 years, give or take a 100 - depending on where it it.

*1/2 life is a scientific term which means that in 500 years, only 1/2 of the product will have decomposed.

In oceans, rivers and streams, plastic refuse is very detrimental to marine life.  For example, dolphins, porpoises, whales, other fish may inadvertently ingest the plastics - fatal outcome.

Another effect is that landfills are filling up with refuse.  Once they fill up, others need to be dug.  There is finite land space on this earth for landfills.