Save the Fish
Plywood: how long does it take to break down in the sea?
Estimated time to break down in the sea: > 3 years. Source: US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (bsee.gov).
Plywood: why is it harmful to the sea?
Glues and treatments leach as it rots.
Plywood: does it really disappear?
Yes, wood rots, but the glue and treatments in plywood leach out as it does.
Plywood: how harmful is it compared with other trash?
Harm score 3 out of 10: lasts 2/4, toxic 1/3, wildlife 0/3. It ranks 24 of 31 on our list. This score is our own simple scale for comparing items in the game. It is not an official index.
Plywood: what is it made of?
Material: Wood (plywood with glue). A typical one is about 30 cm long and weighs about 180 g.
Plywood: what can I do?
Plywood holds glue and chemicals: never dump old wood in rivers or on the shore.
Plywood: what lasts longer, and what breaks down sooner?
Lasts longer: Cigarette butt, Pencil, Ice cream stick. Breaks down sooner: Balloon, Wool sock, Wool glove.
Plywood: 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.