Biodegradation
Biodegradation is nature’s waste management and recycling system. It breaks down everything from yard waste to crude oil. It is a natural process necessary to keep our planet clean and healthy. “A process by which microbial organisms transform or alter (through metabolic or enzymatic action) the structure of chemicals introduced into the environment.” Basically, organic (carbon-based) material is changed through chemical processes from complex molecules into simpler molecules, eventually returning the molecules into the environment. For example, a banana peel can be reduced from cellulose to water, carbon dioxide gas, and humus in a compost pile.