Photo credit: Lori Minor-Penland, |
Some things, like plants, decay quickly if the conditions are right (enough moisture, oxygen, and bacteria and fungi, for example). Other things may take centuries to break down into the "building blocks" they're made of, even when exposed to the same conditions.
In the past, people's garbage was made primarily of natural materials that decayed easily -- cotton, linen, wood, paper, coal ash, even horse carcasses. These things could be consumed by bacteria, fungi, insects, and animals. Some of the things in our garbage today are designed for durability and strength. They are created by chemical processes that make them difficult to break down. |
