day 292 – four items of litter

I found these items along a gravel roadside of interest.  On a smaller scale they illustrate the slow process of decomposition, paper will break down quite quickly, while the baler twine, the piece of plastic and the aluminum can will likely linger much longer.  Each will break down into smaller parts to become part of the soil composition.  This leads me to consider how much detritus could be combined with natural soil and still be viable for growing plants.

Alumninum can be recycled almost indefinitely, and paper is naturally biodegradable, while the baler twine is generally made from a polypropylene product designed to degrade.  Plastic such as the clear sheet particle can last for many years lingering as tiny tatters like the one on the top right.  The grasses wrapped around this piece of plastic are grasping it, nesting plastic fibres with its vigorous growth.  Plastic and plant are enmeshed in a process of harmonious growth and decay that is illustrative of the insidious nature of plastic as well as a testament to the resilience of nature itself.