During degradation, LDPE is first converted to its monomers, then these monomers are mineralized. LDPEs are too large to pass through cellular membranes, so they must first be depolymerized to smaller monomers before they can be absorbed and biodegraded within microbial cells. The initial breakdown of an LDPE can result from a variety of physical and biological forces [125]. Physical forces, such as heating/cooling, freezing/thawing, or wetting/drying, can cause mechanical damage such as the cracking of polymeric materials