Scientists have already proven that plastic bottles and the packages can lie for hundreds, thousands and even millions of years and not decompose.
Here's a list of the things we throw away and how long it takes for that trash to decompose.
2 weeks
Apple cores and other fruit remains.
Even though it takes a relatively short time to decompose, leftover food on the ground can attract unwanted "friends" such as rats.
About 1 month
Paper napkins, paper bags, newspapers, paper towels.
The time it takes for these items to decompose can vary greatly, as it depends on how you disposed of this type of waste.
6 weeks
Cereal boxes, paper bags, banana peels.
Banana peels can take longer to decompose. long term, if the weather is cooler. Since the peel is designed to preserve the freshness of the fruit, it contains a lot of cellulose - the same material that cellophane bags are made from.
Some conservationists warn that the peels of some fruits, including banana peels, can take several months to decompose. Even if a product is natural, this does not mean that it decomposes quickly.
2 to 3 months
Cardboard packaging for milk and juices and other types of cardboard.
The decomposition time of cardboard primarily depends on its thickness. It is worth noting that some cartons may contain chemical materials, which significantly slow down the decomposition process.
6 months
Cotton clothes and paper books.
Of all types of fabrics, cotton decomposes the fastest, as it is natural. If the cotton fabric thrown into the landfill is quite thin, then warm weather it can decompose in as little as a week.
1 year
Woolen clothes (sweaters, socks).
Wool - natural product and can degrade relatively quickly. Moreover, when wool decomposes, it releases elements beneficial to the soil, such as keratins. This product cannot be completely considered garbage, as it does not cause long-term harm to the environment.
2 years
Orange peel, plywood.
Up to 5 years
Heavy wool clothing, such as a coat or overcoat.
Up to 20 years
Plastic bags. But research shows that in some cases plastic bags can take up to 1,000 years to decompose.
Lots of new ones plastic bags created in such a way that they decompose quickly when exposed to direct sunlight.
Yet most plastic bags are made from high-density polyethylene. Microorganisms in the soil do not perceive the chemicals that make up the bag as food, and therefore they do not participate in its decomposition.
30-40 years
Products containing nylon: tights, windbreakers, carpets, diapers. Some scientists believe that such products can take up to 500 years to decompose, depending on environmental conditions.
Even though diapers are quite convenient, they are also quite toxic, even if you haven't used them yet. They are treated with a variety of chemicals such as toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene and dipentene, as well as a chemical called dioxin, which is a highly toxic carcinogen.
50 years
Cans, car tires, foam glasses, leather.
Leather can be treated chemically (as in the case of elements fashionable clothes) and can take much longer to decompose.
The thick leather used to make shoes can take 80 years to decompose.
From 70 to 80 years
Rustling plastic bags (from chips and packaging, for example).
Despite the fact that a person eats the contents of a bag of chips very quickly, the bags themselves take quite a long time to decompose. For example, one US resident found an empty bag of chips on a beach in Devon, dated 1967, but the bag itself looked like it had been thrown away last week.
About 100 years
Products made of polyethylene.
Of course, decomposition time depends on the density and structure of the product. For example, regular plastic bags from the store can take about 100 years to decompose.
Also in the category of things that can decompose for more than a century include plastic bottles and various plastic containers and bowls.
It is worth noting that small polyethylene parts can pose a choking hazard to animals.
About 200 years
Aluminum cans (for beer or soda, for example).
In this case, everything also depends on the density of the material and its structure. IN best case scenario Such objects take 200 years to decompose, but this process can drag on for half a millennium.
It is worth noting that, like plastic products, such items are dangerous for small animals that can climb into an empty jar and get stuck in it.
These cans can be recycled many times and this process requires much less energy than creating a new can. Using the same amount of energy, you can make 20 recycled cans or 1 new aluminum can.
500 years
Plastic bottles.
In general, petrochemical products such as plastic bottles never completely degrade, and chemical elements they just stay in the ground.
1 to 2 million years
Glass jars and bottles
Products made from glass can even last forever, because glass created in lava flows millions of years ago is still there.
Glass consists mainly of quartz, or more precisely quartz sand (SiO2) - one of the most stable and durable minerals on our planet.
The only problem with glass is that it breaks and the shards become dangerous to animals, who may mistake them for food.
More than 2 million years
Batteries
Despite the fact that the thin metal shell of batteries decomposes relatively quickly, toxic chemical substances contained inside (zinc chloride, lead, mercury, cadmium) are absorbed into the ground.
Therefore, batteries should not just be thrown away, but recycled.
Answer #1 . The stele does not rot, rotting is a process of destruction caused either by the action of an oxidizing agent or by the action of microorganisms, but since absolute is not edible, microorganisms do not eat it. The basis of glass is silicon oxide, and oxide, as is known, cannot burn. In addition, this oxide is quite stable and does not decompose in nature, i.e. it can only crumble to the smallest particles of sand and it will take millions of years for a bottle lying in the ground to do this. if the bottle is exposed external conditions then the number of millions is reduced.
Answer #2 . Depending on the main glass-forming substance used, glasses can be oxide, fluoride, sulfide, etc.
Glass is a mixture of oxides SiO2, Na2O and CaO. And what will it decompose into? For metals and oxygen? Main content – SiO2,
The enthalpy of formation is as much as -910.9 kJ/mol. That is, it will never decompose on its own; it is not energetically beneficial for it to decompose. In addition, this is a huge value, it decomposes under ordinary influences; to decompose, you need to take this energy from somewhere and pump it into glass.
Energy - almost 10 electron volts per molecule. In nature, such energy is only cosmic rays There is
but how many of those rays.
Some definitions
Glass- a substance and material, one of the most ancient and, due to the diversity of its properties, universal in human practice. Physicochemically – inorganic substance, solid, structurally – amorphous, isotropic; All types of glass are converted into state of aggregation- from extreme liquid viscosity to the so-called glassy - during the cooling process at a speed sufficient to prevent crystallization of melts obtained by melting raw materials. The glass melting temperature, from 300 to 2500 °C, is determined by the components of these glass-forming melts. The title of this material is different languages has different etymologies. The term “glass structure” implies a description of two closely related, but often considered independently, aspects - geometry relative position atoms and ions that make up glass and the nature chemical bonds between the particles that form it. Glass is an inorganic isotropic substance, a material known and used since ancient times. The main disadvantage of ordinary glass is fragility.
Watching food rot quickly
Many of us throw out garbage anywhere, in any place, in nature and wherever we want! Have you ever wondered how long it takes for it to decompose? I think it's unlikely. So let’s read this publication to know how long this garbage that we throw on the streets will last. The publication is informative, I hope many will draw the right conclusions!
Animal droppings are a problem in big cities. The decomposition period is short, only 10-15 days, but it causes a lot of trouble. 
Food waste. They decompose in about a month. 
Newsprint. Decomposition period from 1 month to 1 season 
Leaves, seeds, twigs. Even they can cause serious pollution in urban environments. Decomposition period 3 - 4 months 
Cardboard boxes decompose within 3 months 
Paper. The most common, office paper decomposes in 2 years 
Boards from a construction site. If they are not properly cared for, the decomposition period reaches 10 years. 
Decomposition period 11 - 13 years 
Iron cans. term 10 years 
Old shoes - 10 years 
Fragments of brick and concrete 100 years old 
Car batteries are about 100 years old 
Foil for over 100 years 
Electric batteries 110 years 
Rubber tires 120-140 years 
Plastic bottles. about 180-200 years 
Aluminum cans are almost the most dangerous waste. Decomposition period 500 years 
And finally glass. No one knows how much of it is already packed in our holiday destinations. The decomposition period of glass is more than 1000 years; at least another 12-15 generations will enjoy our fragments. 
Biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste
There is a common misconception that any waste that has been buried will decompose, especially in the case of bulk waste such as landfills. Amazing fact is that some types of waste, including plastics, remain intact without a single sign of decomposition, after many years.
Some types of waste are biodegradable, meaning that microorganisms in the soil can actually act on them to turn them into decomposed material. Soil containing biodegradable waste is actually richer in nutrients, making this type of waste a better natural fertilizer. Other waste is not biodegradable at all. This means that no matter how much the garbage is exposed to microorganisms, it will not decompose at all.
Let's find out how long it takes for different types of garbage to decompose:
While most of the examples below reflect averages, it is important to note that the conditions environment is a major factor in the rate of waste decomposition. Some conditions catalyze decomposition processes, while others can cause it to stop completely.
Food waste
Depending on the type of products for complete decomposition food waste may take days, weeks or months. The presence of a special vessel is a factor that affects the rate of decomposition of food waste. Suitable tanks can actually lead to accelerated decomposition.
Paper waste
Under average conditions, paper takes about 2-6 weeks to decompose. However, recycling saves space in landfills.
Glass
Although this is one of the most simple products for recycling, the story turns completely in the opposite direction when glass is thrown into landfill, since the minimum time it can take to decompose is a million years. Some researchers say that it does not decompose at all.
Aluminum cans
Aluminum cans, for example, for beer or cola, require 80 to 100 years to completely decompose.
Diapers
Disposable diapers can take 250-500 years to decompose.
Plastic
We interact with it in almost every aspect of our lives, from plastic bags to more complex plastic products, which are the most polluting waste products worldwide. Plastic can take thousands of years to decompose. Not all plastic products have the same decomposition time. For example, some materials may require much less time. At the same time, researchers say that some types of plastic do not actually decompose at all.
To reduce environmental pollution from waste, the best solution is to recycle as much as possible. more waste. Deploying technology and advanced waste management can help save money land area, covered garbage dumps. Avoid using products related to solid waste, is also a promising solution to the problem. All of this requires collective responsibility, both locally and globally.
In 2016, an intact yogurt cup washed ashore on a Canadian beach. What was unusual was the fact that the yogurt was produced during Olympic Games, which were held in Montreal in 1976. This means that the cup was able to float in the ocean for as long as 40 years without showing any signs of change. A logical question arises: “How long does it take for it to decompose?”
But it's not that simple. Most common types of plastics are not biodegradable and cannot be broken down by bacteria or other living organisms. However, technically all plastic is biodegradable. The word "decomposable" simply means that something will be broken down into smaller components without changing chemical composition. In this case, plastic will not return to the cycle of matter in nature, but will simply turn into many fine particles, which will not allow environmental problem. Plastic made on a base that simply “breaks” into fine sand will still not be able to be digested by microorganisms.
IN modern industry So-called additives are added to some types of plastic, which accelerate the process of “decomposition” under certain conditions. For example, there is photodegradable plastic, which becomes brittle when exposed to light. Or oxo-degradable plastic, which becomes more brittle when exposed to oxygen. These methods will help eliminate some of the planet's plastic, but again, it won't help the plastics at the bottom of landfills or the ocean floor. In addition, it is worth knowing that almost every piece of plastic ever created on our planet still exists to this day. This means not only that every day the number plastic waste is only growing, but also that older types of plastics are destroyed only under mechanical stress. Well, let's see how long it takes for plastic to “decompose.”
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