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Biodegradable Science Fair Projects for Kids

Much of what humans produce and use either takes many years for the planet to break down or cannot be broken down at all. Non-biodegradable trash is most often burned or buried, and little of it can be recycled. Using a simple science project, you can explore what kinds of items are biodegradable. From there, expand your exploration to investigate consumer expectations and habits, environmental impact and how scientists are working to increase how biodegradable our goods are.

Experiment
- Compost uses biodegradable material.
  
  The basic experiment involves testing which items are biodegradable and which are not. This can be done most effectively by selecting different objects that are routinely thrown away, rather than recycled and burying them in dirt, either in a container or a controlled area outside. After a selected amount of time, dig up the items and note their degrees of degradation. Alternatively, some objects can be left above ground to see how they deteriorate relative to buried items.
Survey
- Does knowledge change habits?
  
  A survey can be used in two ways in relation to the experiment. One conducted prior to digging up the items can ask which of the items each person expects will biodegrade. Offer a range of how biodegraded these things might be, and chart your survey-takers' expectations. Compare them to your actual results. Once the experiment is complete, ask if knowing the results would change the buying or trash-disposal habits of anyone taking the survey.
Environment
- Relate your experiment to your local landfill.
  
  Using the experiment results as a starting point, research the impact of those objects which did not biodegrade. Investigate how much of this kind of waste is produced in your area, how waste management companies dispose of it and what consequences might arise from these practices. Suggest ways in which this helps or harms the environment and those living in it, and propose changes that might improve the situation. Back up your answers with evidence.
Materials
- Laboratory science can change how biodegradable things are.
  
  Materials scientists and engineers work constantly to improve the composition of everyday things, from the plastics we use to the metals used in canning. Using your experiment as a guide for what types of things would most benefit from a change of material composition, investigate how these people are trying to improve how biodegradable things are. Ask questions like whether an object becomes less biodegradable if it is buried rather than left in the open air.

Science