Biodegradable and Non-Biodegradable Substances - 1870.

Features of biodegradable polymers Unlike most plastics, biodegradable polymers can break down in the environment with the help of microorganisms such as bacteria or fungi. The polymer is usually considered biodegradable, if all of its mass is decomposed in soil or water for a period of six months. In many cases, the decay products are carbon.

Items that break down over time naturally, like food scraps or paper, are biodegradable 1.According to the World Wildlife Foundation, most biodegradable items are made from animals or plants, but some artificial materials designed to mimic these organic substances can also degrade over time.

One of the side effects of technology advances is the inability of nature to decompose substances humans create. For example, polythene used in shopping bags is non-biodegradable -- it doesn't beak down naturally in landfills. Non-biodegradable waste can last for centuries and cause environmental problems that affect more than just the land.

So, what does it mean for something to be biodegradable? In basic terms, the definition is simple: If something is biodegradable, then, given the right conditions and presence of microorganisms, fungi, or bacteria, it will eventually break down to its basic components and blend back in with the earth. Ideally, but not always, these substances.

Non-biodegradable waste made up roughly one-third of the municipal solid waste produced in the U.S. in 2009 (see References 1, page 6). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends.

Recycling is a method to responsibly deal with this problem. The goal of recycling is to separate waste products into two major categories, Biodegradable and Non-biodegradable. (Definition) Biodegradable materials are composed of waste from living organisms and the actual plant, animal or other organism when its life ends.

It is not of plant or animal origin or is of plant and animal origin but is processed and modified to change it’s basic natural composition. And hence cannot be broken down or decomposed to smaller products by the action of living things (such as animals or microorganisms). Examples of non biodegradable items. Styrofoams Cups and Plates.

The paper discusses how by contributing to the composition of solid waste, both biodegradable and non-biodegradable substances increase the amount of worldwide pollution. The paper explains how biodegradable pollutants uniquely contribute to pollution by aiding in the suffocation of fish and other marine life, while non-biodegradable pollutants.

Those pollutants which cannot be broken down into simpler, harmless substances in nature, are called non-biodegradable pollutants. DDT, plastics, polythene, bags, insecticides, pesticides, mercury, lead, arsenic, metal articles like aluminum cans, synthetic fibres, glass objects, iron products and silver foils are non-biodegradable pollutants.

Biodegradable substances: Substances which can be broken down by micro organism like bacteria and fungi are called biodegradable substances. For example, paper, vegetable and fruit peels, human excreta. Non-biodegradable substances: Substances that cannot be broken down by microorganism into simpler and harmless substances are called non-biodegradable substance.

The basic difference between biodegradable and non-biodegradable is that biodegradable items decompose or break down naturally. Non-biodegradable items don't. This particular difference is most important when discussing landfills and waste disposal. Large volumes of non-biodegradable waste take up excess waste and.

A starch-based biodegradable material composition includes: an enzyme-hydrolyzed starch; and a biodegradable polyester selected from at least one of an aliphatic polyester of polybutylene succinate and an aliphatic-aromatic copolyester. The enzyme-hydrolyzed starch is prepared by hydrolyzing a native starch using a starch-hydrolyzing enzyme.