Part 2/9:
At its core, biodegradability refers to the ability of a material to decompose into its natural elements: water, carbon dioxide, and biomass. This process is driven by microorganisms like bacteria and fungi, given the right environmental conditions of temperature, moisture, and oxygen. However, not all materials labeled as biodegradable break down efficiently. For instance, items made of petroleum-based plastics or heavy metals may degrade, but they do not return fully to their natural form; they instead fragment into smaller microplastics, posing a significant contamination issue.