Samples of poly(ethylene terephthalate) bottle material were degraded under dif ferent environmental conditions, including thermal degradation, hydrolysis, and photo oxidation. The extent of degradation was examined by viscometry, and the lifetime of polyester when exposed to 100% and 45% RH, wet soil, and sunlight was calculated. The lifetime of polyester was found to depend on environmental conditions, with hydrolysis a dominant process at lower temperatures.
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