How long does it stay in the landfill?

September 30, 2013

Last week we talked a lot about the "Human Footprint" we are leaving on the earth.  It is amazing all the things we dump in our regular trash that could be RECYCLED instead.  I hope your families are actively RECYCLING, REDUCING, and REUSING.  Here are some interesting statistics:

Items in our trash                                          Time it takes to decompose
bananas                                                          3-4 weeks
paper bags                                                      1 month
cotton cloths                                                  5 months
wool socks                                                      1 year
cigarette butt                                                  2-5 years
leather boot                                                    40-50 years
rubber sole of boot                                        50-80 years
tin can                                                              80-100 years
aluminum cans                                              200-500 years
plastic soda rings                                           450 years
plastic bottles/jugs                                        1 million
styrofoam cups                                               unknown/forever
glass bottles                                                    unknown/forever

Please take a moment and RECYCLE items before you put them in the regular trash.  

yours in science,
Mrs. Biggs