Litter, Litter, Everywhere!!! Everyday we see litter on our streets, playgrounds and parks. Some litter lasts a few weeks and some litter can hang out for 1 million years. Look at the lifespan of some commonly littered items:
| Item |
Decomposition Time |
| Glass bottle |
Approx. 1 million years |
| Plastic 6-pack cover |
450 years |
| Aluminum can |
200-500 years |
| Rubber boot sole |
50-80 years |
| Leather |
up to 50 years |
| Nylon fabric |
30-40 years |
| Plastic film container |
20-30 years |
| Painted wooden stake |
13 years |
| Plastic bag |
10-20 years |
| Plastic coated paper |
5 years |
| Wool clothing |
1-5 years |
| Cigarette butt |
1-5 years |
| Cotton rag |
1-5 months |
| Orange peel or banana peel |
2-5 weeks |
Source: California Waste Management Bulletin |