Everything around us can be labeled as biodegradable or non-biodegradable. There are peels of banana, chicken bones and leaves are samples of biodegradable. Candy wrappers, cans and Styrofoam are not biodegradable. Somehow, things may confuse you whether they are biodegradable or non-biodegradable. That’s a risk to take and the environment can be at threat. Therefore, knowing what biodegradable and non-biodegradable are can help prevent air and water pollution. Separating wastes the right way can certainly provide solution against these environmental issues.
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Non-Biodegradable
Things that are non-biodegradable cannot break down or dissolve for many years. Instead, they become useful once more that’s why we call them recyclable. So, any wastes that are thrown in the garbage can be dumped in a recycling center or factor that can make them useful for other things. Take the papers and thin boards as examples. They do not usually dissolve and vanish although they shrink. Yet, they can remain as debris on holes, water, etc. which may eventually damage the environment. That’s why they are collected to be trimmed into pieces until they form again as new pieces of paper.
Non-biodegradable materials simply cannot be affected by natural process. They do not react and dissolve easily on the soil. Some of these items that are very common to use again at homes are aluminum cans, glasses, bottles, plastic products, metal scraps, grocery bags or other plastic bags, and even Styrofoam (polystyrene). These and other non-biodegradable items have to be stored properly after use so they can be recycled.
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Biodegradable
On the other hand, biodegradable items are things that can easily break, dissolve and fade away in time. Like soil and other micro-organism or bacteria, they undergo natural process in a quick or slow time but definitely not a threat to the environment. Some of the wastes that decompose into soil are garden wastes, egg shells, and kitchen food scraps. They are destroyed and dissembled by natural or biological elements, which include oxygen or air, ultraviolet light from the sun, and nitric acid that comes from the rain. Others also include microscopic elements or critters and soil.
Generally, the difference between non-biodegradable and biodegradable items is based their effects to both health and environment. Nevertheless, we can help our own government and other organizations in saving the Earth against air and water pollutions. First, we recycle and reuse materials that are non-biodegradable. Secondly, we separate biodegradable ones from non-biodegradable.
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Lastly, we dump each (biodegradable or non-biodegradable) properly. These are simple things that we can do at home. Always remember, start your recycling process and have biodegradable and non-biodegradable separated at your own home or community before you judge your own government to do something. You cannot also blame other people if they are not doing the right things if you yourself won’t even also do the right ways. It only takes discipline and cooperation so at least you can say there’s something you are doing to help prevent environmental threats.
