Question

Which of the following is non-biodegradable?
A. Animal Bones
B. Nylon
C. Tea Leaves
D. Wool

Answer 1

Hint: Kind of substances that cannot be broken down by the natural action of microorganisms and serves to increase air or other forms of pollution are known as non-biodegradable wastes. Wastes can be separated and recycled also.

Complete answer:
Based on degradability waste material and substances can be classified into two types i.e. biodegradable and non-biodegradable. Biodegradable wastes are those that can be broken down naturally by natural agents such as microorganisms, sunlight, etc. While non-biodegradable wastes are those that cannot be degraded naturally by any microbial action. These non-biodegradables are not easy to handle and they remain on earth for a very long period of time without any degradation and also cause harm to humans and also to the environment.
Animal bones- They are biodegradable wastes because they are made up of organic compounds such as calcium, calcium phosphate, etc. Depending upon the conditions, the degradation rate of bones is slower than the tissues cells because of its rigid structure.
Nylon- Nylon which is a synthetic polymer and is known for its resistance to biological degradation is non-biodegradable waste which does not breakdown naturally after their use. They persist in the environment and cause harm or pollution to the environment.
Tea leaves- Tea leaves are a biodegradable substance. Tea leaves contain tannic acid and nutrients which act as a natural fertilizer for the garden. When these leaves decompose they release nutrients into the soil which helps in retaining water in the garden.
Wool- Wool is a natural, renewable source i.e. they are a biodegradable substance. On disposing of wool naturally decomposes in the soil and slowly releases valuable nutrients back to the environment.

Hence, the correct answer is option (B).

Note: Non-biodegradable substances are not eco-friendly as they do not decompose or the rate of decomposition is very slow which is harmful to the environment.