Question

What does the term non-biodegradable mean ?

Answer 1

The non-biodegradable substances are those which can not be decomposed by natural organisms called decomposers and remain as such on a place for many years without degradation. These cause pollution.

Complete answer:
This term is very common in our daily use but still sometimes we get confused with what is biodegradable and what is non-biodegradable. Let us see the,
The biodegradable is the substance that can be decomposed by microorganisms or any other decomposers. Example - Fruit and vegetable peels, food left-overs, plant and animal remains etc.
The non-biodegradable substances are those that can not be decomposed by any means by the decomposers. These substances include plastic bags, metals, cans and excessive chemicals used in agriculture etc.
These non-biodegradable substances are difficult to handle and if collected in large amounts cause pollution. These substances can only be recycled which is done nowadays. Such substances remain as such in a place for many years without any degradation. No natural organism known can decompose them.
There is term non-biodegradable waste. It is a kind of waste that can not be broken down or decomposed. It consists of non-biodegradable substances.

Note:
It must be noted that some non-biodegradable waste can be recycled for reuse but the process is very expensive. So, it is not employed for a large amount of substances. The best way to solve the problem of non-biodegradable waste is to replace such substances with others that can be degraded. Further, the use of such substances should also be reduced.