Approximated time for compounds to biodegrade in a marine environment [ 3 ]
Product Time to Biodegrade
| Apple core |
1–2 months |
| General paper |
1–3 months |
| Paper towel |
2–4 weeks |
| Cardboard box |
2 months |
| Cotton cloth |
5 months |
| Plastic coated milk carton |
5 years |
| Wax coated milk carton |
3 months |
| Tin cans |
50–100 years |
| Aluminium cans |
150–200 years |
| Glass bottles |
Undetermined (forever) |
| Plastic bags |
10–20 years |
| Soft plastic (bottle) |
100 years |
| Hard plastic (bottle cap) |
400 years |
|