State the differences between biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes.
Differences between biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes:
| Biodegradable wastes | Non-biodegradable wastes |
|---|---|
| 1. These wastes can be broken down into non-poisonous substances by the action of microorganisms like bacteria and earthworms. | 1. These wastes cannot be broken down into harmless substances by any biological processes. |
| 2. Biodegradable substances change their form and structure over time and become harmless. | 2. Non-biodegradable substances remain unchanged over a long period of time. |
| 3. They do not pollute the environment. | 3. Some of them remain inert and begin to accumulate in our surroundings, while others cannot be made less toxic easily and hence keep on polluting the environment. |
| Examples: Spoilt food, vegetable peels, tea leaves, wood, grass, paper, leather, cotton, cattle dung etc. | Examples: Glass bottles, metal cans, polythene bags, synthetic fibres, radioactive wastes, plastics and pesticides like DDT etc. |