Plastic Jug Decomposition: How Long Does It Really Take?

Plastic 1-gallon jugs are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is a type of plastic that is known for its durability. PET is resistant to biodegradation, which means that it takes a very long time for it to break down in the environment. While the exact amount of time required for a PET plastic 1-gallon jug to decompose is not fully known and varies widely based on factors such as temperature, humidity, and exposure to sunlight, it can take upwards of several hundred to even over a thousand years for complete decomposition.