Save the Fish
Plastic bottle: how long does it take to break down in the sea?
Estimated time to break down in the sea: > 450 years. Source: US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (bsee.gov).
Plastic bottle: why is it harmful to the sea?
Fragments into microplastics; caps and pieces are swallowed.
Plastic bottle: 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.
Plastic bottle: 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 3 of 31 on our list. This score is our own simple scale for comparing items in the game. It is not an official index.
Plastic bottle: what is it made of?
Material: Plastic. A typical one is about 21 cm long and weighs about 14 g.
Plastic bottle: 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.
Plastic bottle: what lasts longer, and what breaks down sooner?
Lasts longer: Toothbrush, Bottle cap, Fishing line. Breaks down sooner: Face mask, Disposable diaper, Plastic cups and plates.
Plastic bottle: 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.