Protection of our environment depends also on our daily behaviours and actions. Throwing in the street, sea or on the grass any type of rubbish will always cause an unpleasant situation or true damages.
Acts that look like the mere consequence of simple and careless uncivil behaviours contribute somehow to water, soil and air pollution.
In order to better understand the effects on the environment caused by a careless abandonment of waste it would be enough to consider the degradation time of some objects of every day use, which will contribute to environmental pollution and contamination.
Average waste natural degradation time in the Soil
- Chewing-gum (5 years)
- An aluminium can for drinks (10-100 years)
- A polystyrene case (over 1000 years)
- Telephone and top-ups cards (over 100 years)
- A cigarette end (1-2 years)
- An apple core (3 months)
- Matches (6 months)
- Newspapers and magazines (6 months, over 10 years)
- A glass bottle (about 400 years)
- A plastic bottle or bag (100-1000 years)
- Plastic dishes and cutlery (100-1000 years)
- A disposable diaper (circa 400 years)
- A cotton or woollen garment (1 year)
- Paper tissues and napkins (3 months)
- A milk or juice carton (1 year)
- A cardboard box (2 months)
Average waste natural degradation time in the Sea:
- Chewing-gum (5 years)
- An aluminium can for drinks (500 years)
- A polystyrene case (between 100 and 1000 years)
- Telephone and top-ups cards (1000 years)
- A cigarette end (2-5 years)
- An apple core (3-6 months)
- Matches (6 months)
- Newspapers and magazines (2 months)
- A glass bottle (1000 years)
- A plastic bottle or bag (1000 years)
- Plastic lighter (100-1000 years)
- A disposable diaper (about 200 years)
- Cotton or woollen garments (8-10 months)
- Paper tissues and napkins (3 months)
- Synthetic fabrics (500 years)
- A banana skin (2 years)
(source: www.legambienteonline.it)