Here's how long it takes for some commonly used products to biodegrade, when they are scattered about as litter:
Cotton rags: 1-5 months
Paper: 2-5 months
Rope: 3-14 months
Orange peels: 6 months
Wool socks: 1-5 years
Cigarette butts: 1-12 years
Plastic coated paper milk cartons: 5 years
Plastic bags: 10-20 years
Leather shoes: 25-40 years
Nylon fabric: 30-40 years
Tin cans: 50-100 years
Aluminum cans: 80-100 years
Plastic 6-pack holder rings: 450 years
Glass bottles: 1 million years
Plastic bottles: Forever
