Save the Fish
Milk carton: how long does it take to break down in the sea?
Estimated time to break down in the sea: > 3 months. Source: US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (bsee.gov).
Milk carton: why is it harmful to the sea?
Wax coating slows paper decay.
Milk carton: does it really disappear?
Yes, within months: the paper rots, but the wax coating slows it down.
Milk carton: how harmful is it compared with other trash?
Harm score 1 out of 10: lasts 0/4, toxic 1/3, wildlife 0/3. It ranks 28 of 31 on our list. This score is our own simple scale for comparing items in the game. It is not an official index.
Milk carton: what is it made of?
Material: Paperboard with a wax coating. A typical one is about 9.5 cm long and weighs about 8 g.
Milk carton: what can I do?
Paper breaks down fast, but inks and wax still pollute: collect it for recycling.
Milk carton: what lasts longer, and what breaks down sooner?
Lasts longer: Wool glove, Wool sock, Balloon. Breaks down sooner: Newspaper, Cloth T-shirt, Paper bag.
Milk carton: 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.