Analysis of the Ceramics‘ Degradability and Their Pollution to the Environment

一、is ceramic considered compostable material

        From a professional perspective, ceramics are not degradable materials in the traditional sense. Traditional degradable materials refer to materials that can be decomposed into harmless small molecules in the natural environment under the action of microorganisms, light, heat and other factors, such as some biodegradable plastics. Ceramics are made of inorganic non-metallic mineral raw materials (such as clay, feldspar, quartz, etc.) fired at high temperatures. Their chemical structure is mainly composed of stable crystal structures or glass phases composed of various metal oxides (such as aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, etc.). This structure gives ceramics high chemical stability and mechanical strength. In the natural environment, ceramics basically do not react with microorganisms, and will not decompose into other small molecules under normal natural conditions (normal temperature, normal pressure, common pH range). For example, ancient ceramic artifacts can still maintain their basic structure and form after hundreds or even thousands of years, which strongly proves that ceramics are not easy to degrade.

二、Environmental impact of ceramics

（一）Environmental impact during production

        Raw material mining； If there is a lack of reasonable control during the ceramic production process, it will cause environmental pollution. In the raw material mining stage, it may destroy the surface vegetation and cause problems such as soil erosion. For example, when open-pit mining clay mines, large areas of vegetation are cleared and the soil structure is destroyed.

        Firing process; Traditional ceramic firing relies on fossil fuels (such as coal), which releases a large amount of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, exacerbating global warming. In addition, pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides may be produced during the firing process. If they are not treated by effective waste gas treatment equipment, they will pollute the atmospheric environment and cause acid rain and other problems.

（二）Environmental impact after use and disposal

        During use, ceramics are relatively stable and safe materials and will not release harmful substances.

        After ceramics are discarded, they are non-degradable and a large amount of waste ceramics will accumulate and occupy land resources. If they are discarded in the natural environment at will, they will destroy the natural landscape and affect the permeability of the soil. However, unlike organic pollutants or heavy metal pollutants, ceramics will not release toxic and harmful chemicals into the environment. The main environmental problem is in the treatment of solid waste and waste of resources.

Conclusion

        Ceramics are not degradable materials. The production process may cause some pollution to the environment. They are relatively safe to use. The main issue after they are discarded is solid waste management. With the improvement of environmental awareness and technological development, the ceramic industry is also constantly exploring more environmentally friendly production methods to reduce the negative impact on the environment.