Chloe Zhang
Plastic is a human-made material that has transformed the way we live, from packaging to product design and retailing. However, plastic pollution has become a pressing environmental issue. Plastic does not naturally decompose, and its carbon bonds are more challenging to break down than organic matter. As a result, plastic waste accumulates in landfills, oceans, and the environment, persisting for hundreds or even thousands of years. This non-biodegradability leads to a build-up of plastic, impacting the planet and human health. While innovations like biodegradable plastics, plant-based alternatives, and plastic-eating bacteria offer hope, reducing plastic consumption and investing in zero-waste solutions are crucial to tackling the plastic pollution crisis.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic decomposition | Plastic does not decompose and therefore persists in the environment forever in one form or another |
| Plastic waste | 79% of plastic waste ends up in landfills |
| Plastic pollution | Plastic pollution is caused by plastic piling up in landfills and oceans |
| Plastic durability | Plastic is designed to last decades, if not hundreds of years |
| Plastic breakdown | Plastic breaks down into smaller pieces called microplastics |
| Plastic toxicity | Plastic leaks toxins into the soil and releases toxic chemicals into the air when burned |
| Biodegradable plastic | Biodegradable plastics take 3-6 months to decompose, while traditional plastics can take hundreds of years |
| Photodegradation | Plastic buried in landfills rarely undergoes photodegradation, but plastic in the ocean does |
| Plastic innovation | Scientists have created plant-based plastics and tweaked the chemical bonds of petroleum-based plastics to make them easier to break down |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic is not biodegradable
Plastic does not decompose in the same way that organic material does. Wood, grass, and food scraps undergo a process known as biodegradation when they are buried and are transformed by bacteria in the soil into other useful compounds. However, bacteria do not break down plastic waste in the same way.
The chemical bonds of plastic are different from the molecular bonds of organic matter, making it harder and more energy-intensive to break them down. Plastic buried in a landfill rarely sees the light of day, but in the ocean, it is exposed to UV light. This can cause photodegradation, a type of decomposition that requires sunlight, not bacteria. Over time, this can turn a big piece of plastic into lots of smaller pieces, but these smaller pieces of plastic are toxic chemicals that can end up in the guts of animals or wash up on shorelines.
Plastic can take anywhere from 20 to 500 years to decompose, depending on the material and structure, and even then, it never fully disappears; it just gets smaller and smaller. Plastic water bottles can take around 450 years to decompose in landfills, while plastic bags take 20 years, and fishing lines take around 600 years.
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Plastic buried in landfills rarely sees sunlight
Plastic is not biodegradable, which means that all plastic ever produced and discarded into the environment is still present in one form or another. Plastic does not occur in nature, and its carbon bonds are harder to break down than the chemical bonds found in nature.
While plastic buried in landfills rarely sees sunlight, plastic in the ocean is exposed to plenty of light and water. In 2009, researchers from Nihon University in Chiba, Japan, found that plastic in warm ocean water can degrade in as little as a year. However, these small bits of plastic are toxic chemicals that end up in the guts of animals or wash up on shorelines, where humans are most likely to come into direct contact with them.
Plastic waste can take anywhere from 20 to 500 years to decompose, and even then, it never fully disappears; it just gets smaller and smaller. For example, plastic bags in the ocean tear away due to constant motion and UV light, taking about 20 years to decompose and settle. Plastic bottles can take up to 450 years, while fishing lines take around 600 years.
The only way to reduce and prevent plastic pollution is to produce and use much less plastic.
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Plastic releases pollutants into the environment
Plastic pollution is a pressing global issue that affects all land, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. It is a major contributor to biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and climate change. Plastic waste, which is often land-based, enters aquatic ecosystems through urban and stormwater runoff, littering, industrial activities, tyre abrasion, construction, and agriculture. As a result, plastic pollution has altered habitats and natural processes, reducing ecosystems' ability to adapt to climate change and impacting the livelihoods, food production capabilities, and social well-being of millions of people.
The environmental impact of plastic pollution is further exacerbated by the fact that plastic does not naturally decompose. While wood, grass, and food scraps undergo biodegradation when buried and are transformed by bacteria into useful compounds, plastic is not recognized as food by bacteria. This means that plastic waste can persist in the environment for extended periods, with estimates ranging from 20 to 500 years or more, depending on the material and structure.
The longevity of plastic waste is due to its chemical composition. Plastic is derived from petroleum, which is processed from crude oil, but its carbon bonds differ from the chemical bonds found in nature, making it challenging for natural processes to break them down. As plastic degrades, it can release toxins into the surrounding soil, creating additional environmental concerns.
However, there are ongoing efforts to address the plastic pollution crisis. Scientists have developed plant-based plastics using corn or sugarcane, and some have modified the chemical bonds of petroleum-based plastics to make them more biodegradable. Additionally, the discovery of plastic-eating bacteria offers a potential solution to breaking down plastic waste and managing the toxic chemicals released during the process.
To mitigate the impact of plastic pollution, it is essential to reduce plastic production, phase out harmful products and chemicals, improve waste management practices, and promote recycling and the use of biodegradable alternatives. These collective efforts can help minimize the environmental, social, and economic consequences of plastic pollution and protect ecosystems and communities worldwide.
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Plastic is designed to last
The carbon bonds in plastic are not the same as the chemical bonds found in nature, making it harder and more energy-intensive to break them down. This is why plastic is so durable and long-lasting. It can take plastic water bottles around 450 years to decompose in landfills, while plastic bags take 20 years, plastic bottles take up to 450 years, and fishing lines take around 600 years. Some plastics can take even longer, with polypropylene plastic and nylon toothbrushes taking up to 500 years or more to decompose.
The durability of plastic is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, plastic has revolutionized the way we live, offering convenience and longevity for various products. On the other hand, it has created a significant waste problem. Plastic has only been in circulation since 1907, but in that time, it has transformed packaging, product design, and retailing. It is estimated that 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic have been produced, and nearly all of it still exists in some form today.
The issue is further exacerbated by the fact that plastic does not fully disappear even after it has broken down into smaller pieces. Microplastics, and even smaller nanoplastics, can easily infiltrate our bodies through skin contact, food, and the air we breathe. They have been found in every corner of the globe, from Mount Everest to the Mariana Trench.
While there have been innovations in biodegradable plastics and the discovery of plastic-eating bacteria, the best way to reduce plastic pollution is to produce and use much less plastic. Every little action to reduce plastic consumption can have a significant impact on protecting the future of our planet and wildlife.
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Plastic can be broken down by bacteria
Plastic is a human-made material derived from petroleum, which is processed from naturally occurring crude oil. Its carbon bonds are harder to break down than those of organic matter, making it non-biodegradable. However, plastic can be broken down by certain bacteria.
Ideonella sakaiensis
Ideonella sakaiensis is a species of bacteria that can break down and consume the plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) by using it as a carbon and energy source. This bacterium was first identified in 2016 at a plastic bottle recycling plant in Sakai, Japan. Ideonella sakaiensis can break down the bonds between monomers using enzymes, a process known as biodegradation. It can also survive the toxic chemicals that are released during the breakdown of PET.
Comamonas
Comamonas is a genus of bacteria common in wastewater that can break down PET. These bacteria use carbon molecules from the plastic bits as food, multiplying faster when PET is available.
Other Bacteria
Other types of bacteria, such as those found in the gut of the Lesser Waxworm, have been found to digest low-density polyethylene (LDPE), a type of plastic used in shopping bags and bubble wrap. Additionally, some bacteria in cold temperatures can break down biodegradable plastics like polyester-polyurethane (PUR).
While these discoveries offer promising solutions to plastic pollution, it is important to note that plastic buried in landfills rarely receives the sunlight or oxygen required for these bacteria to thrive and break down plastic effectively.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastic is not biodegradable, meaning it does not break down in the same way organic material does. Biodegradable materials are transformed by bacteria in the soil into other useful compounds, but bacteria do not recognise plastic as food.
Plastic can take anywhere from 20 to 500 years or more to decompose, depending on the material and structure.
Landfills release toxins and greenhouse gases into the earth and air. As plastic degrades, it can also leak toxins into the surrounding soil.
Plastic waste can be recycled or incinerated. However, recycling can create microplastics, and incineration releases pollutants into the air. Biodegradable plastics are also available, but they are not a perfect solution as they may leave behind toxic residue.
You can reduce plastic waste by using reusable products instead of single-use plastic items. Recycling and bottle return programs can also help to keep plastic out of landfills.
