UC Davis textile researchers have confirmed what many of us may have suspected: cotton fibers buried in wet soil break down faster than nylon and polyester fibers, even when deprived of air. "We're trying to find how fast fibers degrade under different conditions, and how the degradation varies in aerobic and anaerobic environments," says Howard Needles, a professor of in the UC Davis textiles and clothing division. "Particularly in anaerobic environments, we want to know what we can do to speed up the process." Adding manure or peat moss to the soil seems to speed up anaerobic composting by 20 to 30 percent, according to a study of 3-by-6-inch material scraps buried for up to six months. The data, which includes relative decomposition rates of the fibers in two different types of soils as well, may eventually point to ways of speeding up degradation of materials in landfills. The study, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is part of a regional project examining fibers and their fate in the environment. Findings will be presented by UC Davis graduate student Kimmy Schenter on Monday, Aug. 24, 11:10 a.m., Ramada Techworld, West Salon A, Renaissance Ballroom Level.