Save the Fish
Bottle cap: how long does it take to break down in the sea?
Estimated time to break down in the sea: > 500 years. Source: NOAA (noaa.gov). NOAA gives no figure for caps, only that plastic may never fully go away. We show more than 500 years as a cautious floor.
Bottle cap: why is it harmful to the sea?
Small and colourful, so seabirds mistake it for food; plastic may never fully go away.
Bottle cap: does it really disappear?
No. Plastic breaks into smaller and smaller pieces, microplastics, that stay in the water and inside animals. NOAA says plastic may never fully go away.
Bottle cap: how harmful is it compared with other trash?
Harm score 8 out of 10: lasts 4/4, toxic 2/3, wildlife 2/3. It ranks 2 of 31 on our list. This score is our own simple scale for comparing items in the game. It is not an official index.
Bottle cap: what is it made of?
Material: Plastic. A typical one is about 3 cm long and weighs about 2 g.
Bottle cap: what can I do?
Carry a bottle, a cloth bag and a box: every single-use plastic you refuse is one less in the sea.
Bottle cap: what lasts longer, and what breaks down sooner?
Lasts longer: Fishing line, Tin foil, Glass jar. Breaks down sooner: Toothbrush, Plastic bottle, Face mask.
Bottle cap: where does this figure come from?
From “Marine Debris: Plastics”, NOAA National Ocean Service, Coastal Tutorial. Checked on 2026-10-15.
The source's limits (in English): Gives no figure for caps: some plastics 'may never fully go away'. The game shows the project's floor of more than 500 years (user rule, 2026-10-15).