Never Toss a Banana Peel Outside—Here’s Why It’s Such a Big Mistake

You’ve packed a healthy snack for the road—and good for you! And once you’ve finished, what’s the harm in tossing that banana peel out the window? Actually, it can be quite harmful for the environment and for a whole host of reasons. 

As a wildlife ecologist who has spent years studying animal behavior in the wild, Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant understands the deep emotional connection many people feel toward wildlife. "Well-meaning individuals seek to feel closer to wildlife, often through seemingly benign actions like sharing fruit with monkeys at a tourist site or tossing food scraps like banana peels into the woods on a hike," Wynn-Grant explains. "They assume it will quickly decompose and cause no harm. But I've seen firsthand how even small, well-meaning gestures like these can have consequences for animals and ecosystems."

Here's why something as simple as tossing a banana peel outside can actually do (much) more harm than good.

Banana Peels Don’t Break Down Quickly

While banana peels will decompose quickly in the moist conditions of a backyard compost bin, the side of a road lacks the climate and chemistry needed to break down food scraps, says Lauren Click, executive director of Let’s Go Compost. "Dryness, direct sun, compacted or contaminated soil, and minimal microbial activity slow decomposition," Click explains, "meaning the peel will often be preserved for months if not years. Click says.

In fact, Click invites anyone to test this theory for themselves. "Leave one banana peel in a compost bin or indoor worm farm, and another on top of a patio or cinderblock," she suggests. "Then observe what happens over the span of one to four weeks ... Without proper contact with healthy soil, the natural breakdown process stalls."

Animals Lose Their Natural Instincts 

In the wild, animals are incredibly self-sufficient—they know how to find food, shelter and safety. “But when they begin to associate humans with easy meals, those instincts can erode and alter their natural foraging patterns,” warns Wynn-Grant. “In my work, I’ve seen this kind of dependency lead to nutritional imbalances and unnatural behavior.”

Unintended—But Expensive—Consequences

"When animals lose their natural fear of humans, it puts both at risk," says Wynn-Grant. Wildlife naturally want to keep a safe distance from humans—but when animals associate the side of the road with an easy meal, they will continually return to roadways, increasing the risk of car accidents that injure both the animal and motorist. "Wild animals that learn to associate humans with food become habituated, losing their natural wariness," Wynn-Grant explains.

The risk of injury from wildlife interaction increases any place you might toss that banana peel—a public walking trail, the campground, or golf course. "For example, bears approach campsites or urban areas because they associate those areas with the smell of food and an easy meal," Wynn-Grant says. "Habituation can lead to property damage, vehicle collisions, and in worst cases, animals being euthanized because they’re deemed a threat."

'Natural' Food Isn’t Always Natural for Wildlife 

Just because a food item is biodegradable or plant-based doesn’t mean it belongs in a wild animal’s diet. “Our fruits and vegetables are cultivated for human palates, with sugar and salt content that can be totally foreign to wildlife physiology,”  Wynn-Grant says. “Humans have been naturally selecting seeds and cross-breeding different plants to create fruit varieties like bananas that are particularly sweet or have tough skins that allow for long distance transportation.” 

Although an animal might eat the same variety of fruit in its natural habitat, the actual wild fruits produced in nature can be quite different from the fruits produced in agricultural systems that we buy at the store. “These unnatural diets can cause digestive issues, delayed development, and even throw off seasonal cues for migration and breeding,”  Wynn-Grant warns.

The Bottom Line

Although it may be a bit of an inconvenience, it’s best all around if you hold on to that banana peel until you find a secure trash or compost bin in which to toss it. Doing so will protect the natural order, and perhaps both the human and wildlife that visits the area next.