Comments on: How Long Does it Take to Biodegrade?

By: Tim Dunn

Tim Dunn — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:25:24 +0000

It is not true that things like apple cores and paper cups will not biodegrade in the average landfill. The elevated temperature and outgassing of methane and carbon dioxide are proof that there is a great deal of biodegradation taking place in landfills. We sell additives to be mixed with the plastic that goes into disposable items such as films, disposable cutlery, etc., that causes them to biodegrade in landfills. See: earthnurture.com. About the only place where landfills are not highly biologically active are deserts. The fact that you can make beef jerky, however, does not prove that beef is not biodegradable.

By: Oxodegradable Plastic Bags | The Chic Ecologist

Oxodegradable Plastic Bags | The Chic Ecologist — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:10:54 +0000

[...] they do not degrade in a landfill, but then again, nothing does (see my recent article on how long it takes to biodegrade). While they don’t degrade fast enough for a backyard compost pile, they will begin to [...]

By: Sun Chips Compostable Bag | The Chic Ecologist

Sun Chips Compostable Bag | The Chic Ecologist — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:35:38 +0000

[...] bag for PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay Divison, the makers of SunChips. As with many claims of length of time to biodegrade, it is usually very dependent on the environment it is placed in. This fully biodegradable bag is [...]

By: Simple Bio-D Biodegradable Shoes | The Chic Ecologist

Simple Bio-D Biodegradable Shoes | The Chic Ecologist — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:02:36 +0000

[...] was shocked, just as you might be after my last article on how long things take to biodegrade. It seems to be biodegrade month here on The Chic Ecologist, so I am very happy to be reporting on [...]

By: Curtis

Curtis — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:55:59 +0000

Good stuff. I never knew just how long things took to biodegrade. I think you should try and expand this list a bit.

By: SLY

SLY — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:42:04 +0000

This was very insightful and helpful. Thanks for posting.

By: Verterra Sustainable Biodegradable Plates and Bowls | The Chic Ecologist

Verterra Sustainable Biodegradable Plates and Bowls | The Chic Ecologist — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:57:46 +0000

[...] but these picnic plates are both disposable and truly sustainable. Best when composted (as things don’t biodegrade in a landfill) to be truly sustainable cradle to cradle compliant, these sturdy plates are as much at home on [...]

By: Cam

Cam — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:33:42 +0000

Nice post! This reminded me of a project I heard about a few years back, the Tuscon Garbage Project by Dr. Bill Rathje, now at Stanford. He has been excavating landfills in Tuscon and other cities to gather data since the ’70s. It started out as more of a sociology experiment, but has since gained relevance in conservation circles as well. For instance, Rathje found that the #1 item by volume in landfills was paper… like newsprint and copier paper. Close to 40 years of data hold a wealth of information, much of it counterintuitive. An example cited by a TreeHugger blog back in 2005 is that hazardous waste collection days actually increase the amount of hazardous materials being dumped into landfills due to raising awareness about dangerous substances in homes. I haven’t been able to find any recent articles or updates on the project, so I don’t know if it’s still going on, but I would love to see a post about it if you find anything, especially if they are starting to uncover these new biodegradable containers.