What Factors Determine How Long It Takes For Materials To Break Down
- Exposure to light, water, and oxygen
- Exposure to UV light specifically in the case of plastic – which breaks down via photodegradation, and not biodegradation like organic matter does)
- Physical weathering (such as ocean waves)
- Climate and temperature (cool vs warm conditions)
- Changes in pH and other environmental conditions that react with a material or item’s chemistry or chemical make up
- Specific conditions of being in/on landfills vs composts vs the ocean vs freshwater rivers vs on land. Some landfills, for example, lack of light, water and bacterial activity for organic matter to biodegrade properly like that might in a compost facility or on soil