Answers - Living With Trash

Banana peel

1. Banana peels will take letter C, "3 to 5 weeks to decompose."

You can dispose of banana peels by composting them. If you don't have a compost bin or pile, use the peels to feed your garden by dropping the peel into water and letting it sit for a few days to make compost "tea." Please do not dispose of banana peels on the ground in national parks, as it attracts animals to sites that humans frequent. For example, if animals approach roads, they are more likely to be hit.

 
A single cigarette butt extinguished on the floor.

2. Cigarette butts will take letter B, "10 years to decompose."

Soak cigarette butts in water before throwing them away. Contact your local recycling company to see if they accept tobacco products. Companies sometimes pay you if you send filters to them.

 
An unmarked aluminum soda can.

3. Aluminum cans will take letter A, "100 years to decompose."

Place aluminum cans in the recycling bin.

 
An image of a sea turtle that was caught up in a plastic six-pack holder and eventually grew with it's midsection confined to the narrow space.

4. Plastic six-pack holders will take letter C, "450 years to decompose."

Cut up your plastic six-pack holders before disposal. Contact your curbside recycling program to see if they accept six-pack holders.

 
Image of green glass bottles.

5. Glass bottles will take letter C, "Forever to decompose."

Before recycling a glass bottle, remove any plastic or metal lids and rinse out the bottle. Or you can consider keeping the bottle and reuising it!

 

Last updated: October 14, 2020

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San Francisco, CA 94123

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