When considering the degradation of various types of plastic waste in the ocean, the order in which they change in water (from greatest to least in terms of degradation rate) can generally be understood as follows:
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Plastic bag - Thin and lightweight, plastic bags can break down more quickly due to their large surface area and susceptibility to environmental factors, though they can still take hundreds of years to decompose.
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Plastic cup - Typically made from polystyrene or similar materials, plastic cups can degrade at a faster rate than thicker plastics but still take decades to break down completely.
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Yogurt container - Generally made from more durable plastics (like polypropylene), yogurt containers can take longer to degrade than plastic bags and cups, potentially lasting hundreds of years.
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Plastic water bottle - Made from PET, plastic water bottles are quite durable and can take hundreds of years to decompose, making them one of the least biodegradable options on this list.
So, the order from greatest to least in terms of degradation would be:
- Plastic bag
- Plastic cup
- Yogurt container
- Plastic water bottle