Saturday 16 August 2014

Can plastic be part of the soil? If it can't, why? If it can, how?

In a word, no.  You might as well ask "Can a person eat and digest plastic?"  In any event the answer to both questions would be no, since plastic is not an organic substance, meaning it is not composed of living things, or at the very least, the remains of living things.  Soil is a composite mix of nonliving things, such as rocks, minerals, and water, with living things, such as plants and animals.  It...

In a word, no.  You might as well ask "Can a person eat and digest plastic?"  In any event the answer to both questions would be no, since plastic is not an organic substance, meaning it is not composed of living things, or at the very least, the remains of living things.  Soil is a composite mix of nonliving things, such as rocks, minerals, and water, with living things, such as plants and animals.  It tends to take on the character of the biodegradable substances it contains, such as dead animals, dead plants, fecal residue, fertilizers, both organic and commercial.  Plastic may be used with the soil to help grow things.  It is used to help seal in moisture and prevent grass and weed growth in gardens.  It is also used in potting soil to help keep the soil from clumping together.  It also helps conduct the flow of water in between soil particles.  But plastic is not biodegradable, meaning it will not decompose over time to become a major constituent of the soil itself.

No comments:

Post a Comment

How are race, gender, and class addressed in Oliver Optic's Rich and Humble?

While class does play a role in Rich and Humble , race and class aren't addressed by William Taylor Adams (Oliver Opic's real name) ...