Biodegradable or not? Sorting household waste
Find out what happens to different kinds of waste buried in soil for three months, and sort household waste into biodegradable and non-biodegradable.
Core concept
Biodegradable waste is broken down by decomposers into harmless substances; non-biodegradable waste stays in the environment for hundreds of years
Topic: Waste management
Biodegradable waste comes from living things, such as food scraps, leaves, paper and cotton. Bacteria and fungi break it down into simple substances that return to the soil, and it can be turned into compost. Non-biodegradable waste, such as plastic, glass, metal cans, thermocol and batteries, cannot be broken down by decomposers. It stays in the environment for hundreds of years, blocking drains, harming animals and polluting soil and water. It should be reduced, reused or recycled.
What you will learn
- Distinguish biodegradable from non-biodegradable waste.
- Explain what happens to each kind of waste in the soil.
- Suggest how each kind of household waste should be managed.
Before you start
- Know that decomposers break down dead material.
Materials
- Vegetable peels, dry leaves, newspaper, cotton cloth, cow dung, eggshells, wooden ice-cream stick, plastic bag, plastic bottle, glass bottle, aluminium can, thermocol, used battery
Equipment
- Pots of soil, labels
Procedure
- Choose a waste card and find out what happened to it after three months buried in soil.
- Place each card in the biodegradable or non-biodegradable bin.