[Biology Class Notes] on Biodegradable and Non-Biodegradable Substances Pdf

Our daily consumption and the resulting waste materials can be either biodegradable or non-biodegradable. What are biodegradable wastes? Biodegradable waste material is that which can be degraded and recycled in nature for sustaining life. It, therefore, does not pile up and gets decomposed in soil. These things are available or produced in nature. Examples of biodegradable materials are domestic wastes like leftover food, waste food materials from vegetables and fruits, wood, leather, etc. What are non-biodegradable wastes? A non-biodegradable material is that which does not decompose and piles up on land or in the sea. The resulting pile of waste material can lead to pollution and affect nature. These materials are usually synthetically made. Examples of non-biodegradable materials are plastic, toxic chemicals, glass, and metal items (note: metals are found in nature in ore forms; the factory-made solid form is non-biodegradable.).

People produce a big amount of waste daily. The waste items include empty cartons, kitchen waste, and so many expandable substances like juice cans, plastic bags, surgical dressings, etc. Many of these substances like fruit and vegetable peels that can be easily broken down by the activity of decomposers and bacteria are known as biodegradable substances. Other substances, like plastic, metallic cans, medical waste, batteries, and pesticides, which cannot be broken down easily by biological processes, are called non-biodegradable substances. 

Let us learn about biodegradable waste first. Biodegradable substances can be defined as materials that can be decomposed by microorganisms or decomposers and not be added to any type of pollution. These substances can be degraded by natural factors like bacteria, abiotic elements like temperature, etc. The whole process is natural, which can be slow and rapid depending on the object. Therefore, the environmental risks in issues caused by biodegradable waste are low. 

Some biodegradable wastes are paper waste, dead plants, wood, etc. Waste that cannot be decomposed by biological ways is called non-biodegradable waste. Most of the inorganic wastes, like aluminum cans and glasses, are non-biodegradable wastes. These can be classified into recyclable and non-recyclable wastes.