Which of the following substances is non-biodegradable?
Radioactive substances
Solid wastes that we generate in the environment can be categorised into three groups:
1. Biodegradable wastes are those wastes that are capable of being decomposed in a reasonable amount of time by bacteria or other living organisms and thus, do not cause pollution. Examples include human and animal waste, biofertilisers, kitchen waste etc.
2. Recyclable wastes are those that can be converted to reusable material. Glass, cardboard boxes, paper products, etc. are examples.
3. Non-biodegradable wastes are those that can not be broken down into their base compounds by microorganisms, air, moisture or soil in a reasonable amount of time. Radioactive elements, plastic, metal scraps etc. are non-biodegradable.