Are Orbeez Biodegradable? 5 Ways To Dispose

Orbeez are a sensation that have earned their place in the kid’s toy hall of fame. But you might be wondering to yourself, are orbeez biodegradable?

Their popularity have brought up questions over whether they are bad for the environment and human health. Here’s everything you need to know about these gelatinous orbs that have taken the world by storm.

What are Orbeez? 

Before we answer the question are orbeez biodegradable, it’s important to understand what they are first. Orbeez are small and colorful gel beads that are made of a superabsorbent polymer. Superabsorbent polymers are water-absorbing chains of molecules that can contain liquid up to 300 times their own weight! 

The main ingredients in Orbeez are acrylic acid, sodium hydroxide and color pigment. Sodium polyacrylate polymers are used in Orbeez and enable Orbeez to swell up to 150 times their original diameter, making them tons of fun to play with! 

Orbeez did not enter the world as a kid’s toy, though. The original use of Orbeez was to manage the moisture of soil, nappies and period products. Orbeez are good for these purposes because they can both absorb excess liquids and slowly leach out these liquids if you let them dry. They will also gradually dissolve. 

Whilst Orbeez was first used en masse in the 1960s for agriculture; they weren’t commercialized as a toy until the 2000s. Since then, they have been a top item on kid’s Christmas lists and have emerged in many YouTube challenge videos, in which entire pools or rooms are filled with Orbeez. 

Are Orbeez biodegradable?

In short, the answer to are orbeez biodegradable is yes. If a substance or object is biodegradable, that means it will naturally break down as it is decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms.

This is not to be confused with degradable, which simply means that a substance or object will be broken down biologically or chemically (usually chemically), as all objects are. Because Orbeez were originally designed with agriculture in mind, they are biodegradable. 

On the packaging, it is advertised that Orbeez are 100% biodegradable, non-toxic and safe for kids and pets. There is one important clarification to make, though – how fast they biodegrade.

This is where Orbeez loses some points for its lack of consumer transparency. Whilst Orbeez are biodegradable; they take 2-5 years to break down: how long they take to break down depends on the environment they are in and how much moisture they are exposed to. 

How should you dispose of Orbeez? 

There are two main ways that people suggest disposing of Orbeez. One of these ways is putting them in soil and letting them naturally decompose. This is the least popular of the two, and some people do not recommend this because of its potential dangers to wildlife. 

The second of these ways is throwing them in the trash. This is the most popular method, but people are advised to put them in a smaller bag if doing this. For a more eco-friendly version, you can put them in a paper bag; just first make sure that the water has been extracted so that the paper bag doesn’t get wet and break.

You can shrink Orbeez by putting them in the sun, ensuring that they are dry and compact. Orbeez cannot be recycled. 

Are Orbeez environmentally friendly? 

While we’ve addressed whether Orbeez are biodegradable, the more important question is if Orbeez are environmentally-friendly. Orbeez gets a thumbs up from consumers for being non-toxic and biodegradable, but a few red flags do arise when it comes to their earth-friendly status. 

One caution is their potential threat to marine life. If disposed of in a river, they will increase in size, and marine animals may mistake them for food.

For this reason, Orbeez-enthusiasts are encouraged not to flush their Orbeez down the toilet or pour them down the drain. Similar cautions are made about disposing of them outside for their potential threats to wildlife and further ramifications on the food chain. 

Are Orbeez ok for kids and pets? 

Orbeez claims that its product is kid and pet friendly, and for the most part, this stands true. However, there have been numerous cases where both children and animals have ingested Orbeez and experienced dangerous internal blockages, resulting in surgery. 

One such case features a one-year-old girl who was presented to the doctor with stomach pain and vomiting. After an X-Ray, a blockage was found in the girl’s small intestine – a further ultrasound identified this as a small round foreign body containing fluid. Her mother stated that the girl may have swallowed an Orbeez ball that she was using for her flowers.

The obstruction was identified and the Orbeez ball, whilst originally measuring 4mm, now measured 32mm – expanding over 400%! The girl required surgery and had to spend a subsequent six days in the hospital recovering. 

Many similar cases have been reported with pets. One story that was produced by a regional news outlet described the case of a chihuahua who fell ill after swallowing an Orbeez ball.

After frequent vomiting and lifelessness, the dog had to be rushed to the vet for emergency surgery. The vet was confident that the dog would have passed away if the issue had been left untreated. 

An external danger that Orbeez poses to children’s safety is their use on YouTube. Orbeez have emerged in an array of challenge videos on YouTube that display irresponsible behavior, including depictions of YouTubers eating large amounts of Orbeez. Despite the disclaimers, these depictions have the potential to encourage kids to eat Orbeez themselves. 

So, it is questionable whether Orbeez can be considered kid and pet friendly. Whilst Orbeez poses no consistent danger to kids and pets, important guidelines should be in place, like not leaving them on the floor or low surfaces, not allowing children under 5 to play with them and stressing that they are not fit for consumption. 

Are there any environmentally-friendly alternatives to Orbeez? 

There are a variety of environmentally-friendly toys out there, but one of the main (and original) uses of Orbeez is for agriculture. As mentioned, Orbeez scores some serious points when it comes to sustainability! However, if how long they take to biodegrade, the potential dangers to wildlife or the cautions with kids and pets throw you off, here are some safer and more eco-friendly alternatives that you could consider to keep your plants alive and well.

1. Some soil additives e.g. coir and compost 

Coir and compost are some of the most environmentally-friendly soil additives. These additives keep the soil fertile and improve drainage. Make sure to avoid peat, as the sourcing of it requires the destruction of diverse peatland habitats. 

2. Drip irrigation 

There are many different types of drip irrigation systems. Drip irrigation, sometimes called trickle irrigation, allows water to be dispersed slowly and gradually through small holes. This is a method that minimizes water wastage. 

3. Rice hulls 

Rice hulls or rice husks are a newly popular staple in environmentally-friendly gardening. Rice hulls are very good insulators that are fire-retardant, resistant to moisture and fungus and are odorless. 

4. Mulch 

Mulch can be store-bought or homemade and consists of a variety of waste products like pine straw and moss. It is nutrient-rich and helps to conserve soil moisture. 

5. Manual sprinkler or watering 

Using a manual sprinkler or simply manually watering your garden is a sure-fire way to retain soil moisture without adding any toxic, unsustainable or unsafe additives to your soil. This method can also reduce water wastage.

Final thoughts

So, let’s review. Orbeez are a popular kid’s toy and have additional uses outside of this, the main one being agriculture. They are small colorful beads made out of a superabsorbent polymer that can swell up to 150 times their diameter. 

They are 100% biodegradable but take 2-5 years to break down. They should be disposed of by letting them decompose in the soil or throwing them in the trash whilst packaged in another bag. The latter of these two options is the safest as if ingested, Orbeez could present a danger to wildlife.

There are questions about their kid and pet-friendly status. Although not recommended, they are generally ok to consume, but if swallowed whole, they can cause blockages in the small intestine resulting in surgery. If necessary precautions are taken, however, there is no reason why children (and adults) cannot have a world of fun with Orbeez – in a safe and sustainable way.