Save the Fish
Cardboard box: how long does it take to break down in the sea?
Estimated time to break down in the sea: > 2 weeks. Source: US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (bsee.gov). The source gives 2–4 weeks. We show the lowest figure, so the item never looks safer than it is.
Cardboard box: why is it harmful to the sea?
Breaks down within weeks.
Cardboard box: does it really disappear?
Yes, within weeks or months. Inks and coatings stay behind as a little pollution.
Cardboard box: how harmful is it compared with other trash?
Harm score 0 out of 10: lasts 0/4, toxic 0/3, wildlife 0/3. It ranks 31 of 31 on our list. This score is our own simple scale for comparing items in the game. It is not an official index.
Cardboard box: what is it made of?
Material: Paper. A typical one is about 25 cm long and weighs about 40 g.
Cardboard box: what can I do?
Paper breaks down fast, but inks and wax still pollute: collect it for recycling.
Cardboard box: what lasts longer, and what breaks down sooner?
Lasts longer: Paper bag, Cloth T-shirt, Newspaper. Nothing on our list breaks down sooner.
Cardboard box: where does this figure come from?
From “Marine Debris Timeline of Biodegradation”, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (Northwest District), information sourced from the US Environmental Protection Agency Gulf of Mexico Program. Checked on 2026-10-03.
The source's limits (in English): Approximate times printed on an educational poster. Real breakdown depends on sunlight, temperature, oxygen and microbes; plastics fragment into microplastics rather than disappear.