How Long Until It’s Gone?

Ever wonder how long it takes for a plastic water bottle to decompose? What about that plastic fork from your salad at lunch? Before you toss these single-use plastic items in the trash, consider this: 

🔴 Glass bottle: 1 million years 
🔴 Monofilament fishing line: 600 years 
🔴 Plastic beverage bottles: 450 years 
🔴 Disposable diapers: 450 years 
🔴 Aluminum can: 80-200 years 
🔴 Foamed plastic buoy: 80 years 
🔴 Rubber boot sole: 50-80 years 
🔴 Foamed plastic cup: 50 years 
🔴 Tin can: 50 years 
🔴 Leather: 50 years 
🔴 Nylon fabric: 30-40 years 
🔴 Plastic film canister: 20-30 years 
🔴 Plastic bag: 200-1000 years 
🔴 Cigarette filter: 1-5 years 
🔴 Wool sock: 1-5 years 
🔴 Plywood: 1-3 years 
🔴 Waxed milk carton: 5 years 
🔴 Apple core: 2 months 
🔴 Newspaper: 6 weeks 
🔴 Orange or banana peel: 2-5 weeks 

🔴 Paper towel: 2-4 weeks 

What happens to your trash? It’s frightening, the amount of plastic that’s caught up out there in the ocean. Even more frightening is how long it will take for the waste to break down… 

Hoping this infographic will make at least one person say no to a plastic shopping bag, or perhaps inspire them to pick up a piece of trash on the beach. Every little bit helps. 

Before you throw something into the trash, ask yourself is “it really garbage?” Or can it be recycled, reused, or composted. 

At The EcoFairy, our goal is to help you build a more sustainable life by offering you a line of reusable products. We offer products that last and that will help you reduce the amount of plastic you use.   

More info on our website: https://www.theecofairy.com