How Long do Biodegradable Bags Take to Decompose?

decompose in landfills

As we face serious environmental problems, biodegradable and compostable materials are gradually coming into people’s fields of vision. These materials are all environmentally friendly and can be decomposed in a natural environment. But an important question is how long it takes for them to degrade completely.

Meaning of Biodegradability

First of all, we need to understand what degradability and biodegradability mean. The definition of degradation is that an object can be decomposed into other inorganic matter under certain conditions. Degradable can be divided into photodegradation, thermal-oxygen degradation, and biodegradation according to degradation conditions. From the perspective of the degradation effect, they can be divided into full degradation and partial degradation. Biodegradability means that items can eventually break down into water, carbon dioxide, humus, and other minerals by the action of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms in natural environments such as water and soil.

biodegradability

Decomposition Time of Biodegradable Bags

How long it takes for a biodegradable bag to decompose depends on various factors. Among them, the most important are the degradation conditions and the disposal methods. In general, biodegradable bags can be completely degraded in three to six months in a natural environment. However, once conditions change, their rate and duration of degradation will vary.

Decompose in the soil environment

Natural soil environments are ideal places for bags to degrade. There are abundant microorganisms in the soil, which play an irreplaceable role in the degradation process. The soil will also provide the temperature and humidity needed for the bag to degrade. By combining these factors, buried items can be broken down into small pieces and eventually disappear into the soil.

As a result, the soil does not contain a lot of plastic and other harmful chemicals. The length of time lasts for 3 to 6 months. But it’s worth noting that if the temperature and humidity are not up to standard, the decomposition time of bags will be extended.

Decompose in an aqueous environment

If biodegradable bags are thrown into an aqueous condition, their decomposition time is different from that on land. We use the marine environment as an example.

The marine environment is different from land due to its high salinity, pressure, low temperatures, and dilute nutrients. This type of environment is only suitable for halophilic microorganisms due to the high salt content in seawater. As a result, microbial diversity is relatively lacking compared to land. Surface and offshore sea temperatures average around 17 degrees Celsius, while deeper depths range from 0 to 4 degrees Celsius. Biodegradation is challenging in the marine environment due to the lack of a degradable microbial community and the low temperatures. However, there’s good news – new biodegradable plastic bags are now available, with some degrading within a year and others taking 2 to 3 years.

Disposal methods

Temperature and humidity in the natural environment are often affected by climate change. If bags are left in a natural condition, the degradation time is uncertain. For this reason, the plastic bags are recycled into a garbage pond system for specialized processing, which guarantees the temperature and humidity required for the degradation action. This method speeds up the decomposition.

Conclusion

Most biodegradable bags can fully degrade in 3 to 6 months with sufficient microorganisms and the right temperature and humidity. This is much faster than traditional plastic bags, which take hundreds of years.

How long it takes for a biodegradable bag to degrade depends on various factors, including temperature and moisture content. Different places have different temperatures and humidity, which will inevitably affect the degradation efficiency. Therefore, we need to do a specific analysis of different environmental conditions.

Biodegradable bags can be degraded into water, carbon dioxide, and other minerals in soil and seawater. Does that mean they can be discarded at will without causing any harm to the environment? Not that, if the biodegradable pouches that are thrown away enter the soil and seawater and are not degraded, it will cause some harm to the organisms in the ecosystem to some extent. Biodegradable bags are developed as organic recycling and should not be a reason to throw away waste haphazardly. After using the bag, try to dispose of it in a recyclable bin.

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