Lifespan of Plastic

Landfill environments are filled with specific microbes and enzymes adapted to break down trash, landfills have been the standard solution for solid waste disposal for years.

Now, landfills are being overloaded with plastic products that can take hundreds of years or more to biodegrade.

The lifespan of these popular plastic products:

Plastic Water Bottle - 450 years Disposable Diapers - 500 years Plastic 6-Pack Collar - 450 Years Extruded Polystyrene Foam - over 5,000 years

Flexible, resilient, and durable plastics have facilitated innovation and convenience in almost every area of American life. From our medical supplies to our food storage containers, plastic is a commonplace and inexpensive solution for many Americans. But, plastic is not without its flaws. Strong polymers in plastic are extremely resistant to natural biodegradation processes. This means that traditional plastic products can persist in landfills for hundreds of years, if not indefinitely.