Orbeez are small, colourful beads that increase in size when immersed in water. Initially, the intent for developing Orbeez was to use them to retain moisture in the soil to improve plant growth. Today, Orbeez have become colourful, tiny beads for kids’ fun as well as helping in their development. The question is, are Orbeez safe for kids to play with, and are they biodegradable?
What is Orbeez?
Orbeez are tiny pellets that react by growing larger when immersed in water. Once in contact with water, the Orbeez can increase the size of their diameter to an extent depending on how pure the water is. An Orbeez can reach a maximum measure of 14 millimeters (mm) when immersed in clean and distilled water.
Orbeez were initially developed to retain moisture in the soil for plant growth. However, they soon became an item used in educational and decorative activities. Experts found a need to use Orbeez to help with a child’s development.
Orbeez are super-absorbent polymer beads made of sodium polyacrylate, water, and acrylic acid. The water molecules cause them to grow when immersed in water. As super-absorbent polymer beads, Orbeez are fun and safe for kids to handle and play with, specifically those above the age of three.
Kids will be kids and playing with tiny beads can be a concern for parents and guardians, especially putting Orbeez in places they are not supposed to be or swallowing. Orbeez are not toxic for kids to play with but they are not edible either. Always keep an eye on your kids while they play with Orbeez.
Regarding being biodegradable, some sources claim that Orbeez is biodegradable, while other sources suggest otherwise.
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What are Orbeez Made of?
Orbeez are tiny water beads made of sodium polyacrylate –an absorbent polymer usually derived from acrylic acid and sodium hydroxide.
Orbeez are super-absorbent polymer beads, so this means they can absorb over 80 times their weight when immersed in water. Orbeez gel beads absorb the liquid when they are immersed in one.
By absorbing water, they will expand to gel-like spheres that will be used for a specific purpose.
Sodium polyacrylate may be considered as a non-toxic substance but its biodegradation process takes a longer period to occur, hence there are questions regarding its biodegradability.
Are Orbeez Biodegradable?
Although Orbeez will disintegrate over time, they are still not classified as biodegradable.
Without intervention, Orbeez will break down with time. According to an article published on GreenMatch, an Orbeez will take as long as 208 to 416 years to decay by half.1 This is because they are made of sodium polyacrylate which was identified to have a 0.12% – 0.24% decay rate every 6 months by the Environmental Science and Pollution Research International (2014).2
Compared to other non-biodegradable materials such as plastic, Orbeez degrades faster in nature.
However, there are still questions asked on how sustainable using Orbeez is. For a colourful water bead to take up to 416 years to decompose by half, what exactly happens to the environment during this long decomposition process?
Ecological Impact
Their persistent existence in the environment may directly affect ecosystems. Orbeez that won’t disappear for years may be ingested by wildlife. They may be potent enough to cause internal blockages and other health complications for wildlife.
Orbeez can be disposed of alongside other household waste. However, tossing them into your trash can, where they will likely end up in landfills, can take years for decomposition to occur. Orbeez is not 100% biodegradable, so large waste accumulation of these beads may contribute to environmental and air pollution.
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How Long Does it Take for Orbeez to Biodegrade?
The time frame for Orbeez to biodegrade will depend on important factors like the environment, the type of the Orbeez and how much water is present.
Orbeez can persist in nature depending on the ingredients used in making them. As we said earlier, they take hundreds of years to biodegrade. Sometimes it can take up to 416 years for full biodegradation to occur.
Due to their persistent nature, manufacturers inform consumers that water beads are not biodegradable. By indicating that Orbeez is not biodegradable, consumers will be aware of what to expect using these colourful water beads.
Are Orbeez Compostable?
For tiny beads that take up to hundreds of years to biodegrade, composting is not an option to consider.
Manufacturers indicating that Orbeez is not biodegradable may not be enough to convince some consumers to avoid using them for composting. Using water beads to retain moisture in a compost bin is not recommended.
Don’t use Orbeez in a compost bin to avoid contaminating the compost with toxic acrylamides that could affect your fruits and veggies grown in gardens or farms.
Are Orbeez Recyclable?
Orbeez are made of super-absorbent polymer plastic, a material that is not recyclable. This, in turn, makes Orbeez not suitable for recycling.
Their small size makes it difficult to consider recycling since they are not 100% biodegradable and cannot be used for composting.
How to Properly Dispose of Orbeez?
Since Orbeez are super-absorbent polymer beads that can hold water for up to a week when not in direct contact with the sun, throwing them into flower beds is a better way to properly dispose of them. They can also be mixed with the soil in your garden.
This is a better way to put these water beads to good use. Mixing these tiny water beads with soil reduces the need to water your plants frequently as they gradually release the absorbed water as they dry. Throwing Orbeez into a flower bed or mixing them with soil is one of the best ways to get rid of them as they can retain moisture in the soil and improve plant growth.
However, if you must throw them into the trash, make sure you put them in a container to prevent pets from ingesting them.
Orbeez are not meant to be poured or flushed down the drain. Due to their nature to expand when in contact with water, they can clog pipes or even worse burst them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Orbeez made of?
Orbeez are tiny water beads made of sodium polyacrylate – an absorbent polymer usually derived from acrylic acid and sodium hydroxide.
Can I shrink Orbeez?
You can simply shrink your Orbeez by dehydrating them in a warm and sunny spot. Once they have shrunk down to the size you want, have them stored in a container.
How long do Orbeez balls last?
Orbeez can last for years provided they are stored appropriately and cared for.
How long does it take for Orbeez to grow?
The time it takes for Orbeez to grow to full size is an average of four to six hours. The time for Orbeez to reach full size can also vary depending on the temperature of the water and the type of Orbeez.
Conclusion
Orbeez are not 100% biodegradable and recycling is also not an option to get rid of used Orbeez. These tiny water beads are made of sodium polyacrylate and they are super-absorbent polymer beads that can absorb over 80 times their weight when immersed in water.
Sources
- GreenMatch.co.uk: Are Orbeez Bad For The Environment? Statistics, Trends, Facts and Quotes ↩︎
- Wilske B, Bai M, Lindenstruth B, Bach M, Rezaie Z, Frede HG, Breuer L. Biodegradability of a polyacrylate superabsorbent in agricultural soil. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2014;21(16):9453-60. doi: 10.1007/s11356-013-2103-1. Epub 2013 Sep 14. PMID: 24037296. ↩︎