Is paper biodegradable or not? If I have paper trash, where should I throw it, the bin for the biodegradable trash or the other one?
Thanks^_^
2006-06-27 21:21:51 · 4 answers · asked by kevin! 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Biodegradable:Capable of being decomposed by biological agents, especially bacteria.
Paper IS biodegradable.
2006-06-27 21:27:29 · answer #1 · answered by G.V. 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Paper originates from wood. PLease try this experiment. Put a sheet of paper into some water and leave it for some time. Then, crush it with your hands, You will see that it becomes a sort of drenched solid. If you leave it to dry, it will not recover its original shape. It is best done with tissue paper. In industry, this paper, whether tissue or not, are blended with chemicals which will remove the ink.
Therefore, in whatever bin you throw paper, it will not matter, since it is made from natural fibers which can be decomposed. Remeber history where egyptians used papyrus, which was extracted from reed growing on the banks of river Nile.
Rubber is one which does not decompose, hence not biodegradable.
2006-06-28 08:37:00 · answer #2 · answered by javed 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
paper is biodegradable. Paper is a thin, flat material produced by the compression of fibers. The fibers used are usually natural and composed of cellulose. The most common source of these kinds of fibers is wood pulp from pulpwood trees, (largely softwoods) such as spruce. However, other vegetable fiber materials including cotton, hemp, linen, and rice may be used. Though generally considered a flexible material, the edges of paper sheets can act as very thin, fine-toothed saws, leading to paper cuts.
and paper...
The word paper comes from the ancient Egyptian writing material called papyrus, which was woven from papyrus plants. Papyrus was produced as early as 3000 BCE in Egypt, and in ancient Greece and Rome. Further north, parchment or vellum, made of processed sheepskin or calfskin, replaced papyrus, as the papyrus plant requires subtropical conditions to grow. In China, documents were ordinarily written on bamboo, making them very heavy and awkward to transport. Silk was sometimes used, but was normally too expensive to consider. Indeed, most of the above materials were rare and costly.
Plants are biodegradable or can be decomposed and so paper are biodegradable materials... ^^
2006-06-28 07:55:09 · answer #3 · answered by JaSmiNE 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
papaer is biodegradable. it's raw material is wood.
2006-06-28 04:28:14 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋