{"id":4012251,"date":"2021-02-09T06:37:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-09T11:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/housecaravan.com\/?p=4012251"},"modified":"2021-12-21T07:43:53","modified_gmt":"2021-12-21T12:43:53","slug":"how-long-does-it-take-for-paper-towels-to-break-down","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/housecaravan.com\/how-long-does-it-take-for-paper-towels-to-break-down\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long Does it Take for Paper Towels to Break Down?"},"content":{"rendered":"

People often wonder how long it takes for paper towels to break down. Our team has researched this and we have the answers. We will share all you need to know about the breakdown of paper towels in this comprehensive article.<\/span><\/p>\n

How long does it take for paper towels to break down? <\/span>It takes 2 weeks to 1 month for paper towels to completely break down in the soil. But within a landfill, it could take about 2 to 5 months for paper towels to decompose because the environment lacks light and oxygen. When fully soaked in water, over-saturated paper towels start breaking down within 20 minutes.<\/b><\/p>\n

How long it takes for paper towels to break down depends on a few environmental factors. What are these factors? Will towel paper break if you flush it down your toilet? As you read on, you will find answers to these questions and many more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

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Image by Engin Akyurt<\/a> from Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

How Long Does ft Take for Paper Towels to Decompose in Soil?<\/span><\/h1>\n

Paper towels will decompose in soil <\/b>within 2 weeks to one month<\/b><\/a>. But it could take about six weeks if there is not enough light and oxygen in the environment. It could also take a shorter time (just a few days) if there are worms or paper-eating insects in the soil.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Several factors, especially climatic conditions, affect how fast paper materials decompose in the soil. These factors also affect the breakdown of paper towels. We will briefly explain these factors in the section that follows.<\/span><\/p>\n

Factors Affecting How Fast Paper Towels Break Down in Soil<\/span><\/h2>\n

Biological Activity<\/span><\/h3>\n

This is the main factor that affects the breakdown of organic matter in the soil. Fungi, bacteria, insects, and worms within the soil feed on paper towels and decompose them. Scientists call this \u201cBiological activity\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

When the soil is healthy and there are plenty of organisms in it, there will be more biological activity. Consequently, paper towels and other organic materials will decompose faster.<\/span><\/p>\n

Oxygen<\/span><\/h3>\n

The organisms in your soil cannot survive without oxygen. So, if air cannot penetrate the soil, as is the case with landfills and compacted soil, there will be fewer organisms there. This causes low biological activity and makes decomposition slower.<\/span><\/p>\n

Heat<\/span><\/h3>\n

Soil bacteria need heat levels of 70-100 F for optimum biological activity. There is minimal biological activity between 40 and 70 F, but it is not optimal. However, once the heal level falls below 40 F, there will be little to no bacterial activity. This is why paper towels and other organic materials break down quite slowly during the cold winter months.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moisture Level<\/span><\/h3>\n

Water helps paper materials to break down faster outside of the soil. But water within the soil may slow down the breakdown of paper materials. This is because water will displace air spaces within the soil and deprive the organisms of oxygen. However, excessively dry soil is also not good for paper decomposition either. The organisms need a balance of oxygen and water to decompose matter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2705 <\/span>Video – Interesting – How Long Trash Takes to Decompose<\/span><\/h4>\n

In this video, you will see the approximate time it takes different trash materials to decompose. The video will give you an idea of how long paper materials, including paper towels, take to decompose. Other materials shown in the video include diapers, aluminum cans, and glass bottles.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

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