Unscientific Wadding Degrade Test

I'm no scientist - this is certainly not the best test for how wadding breaks down in the field. It was simply done out of curiosity.
Estes toilet tissue wadding, Quest parade pomp wadding and flame resistant crepe paper was used. I don't normally use the dog barf style wadding.

On Thursday, April 24, 2014 - 
I taped two pieces of each kind of wadding to the chairs in my outdoor patio.
This would expose them to direct and indirect sunlight, temperature, humidity and rain.
Last week the temperatures in Central Florida went into the 90s. Humidity is also on the rise.
On the far arm rest is the off-white Estes toilet tissue wadding.
The closest yellow squares are the crepe paper.

On another chair is two squares of the Quest parade pomp wadding.
Parade pomp paper is used to decorate parade floats.

One week later on May 1, 2014 - 

We've had some big rain yesterday.
Here's whats left of the Estes wadding squares.
Both pieces have broken off the tape that held it to the chair.
Below on the cement are the small, broken down pieces of the toilet tissue. The Estes tissue now looks like wet dog barf style wadding.

Here's what I found most interesting.
The yellow crepe paper has started to break down. After a week in the outside elements you couldn't use it in a model. It would break up in your hands.
The Quest wadding however looked almost new!
After the rain the wadding is now dry and has retained its original form.
It might not be flame resistant anymore but it certainly isn't breaking down - yet!

I always make a point of picking up wadding after a session at the schoolyard.
At monthly group launches I pick up wadding if I see it.
It's a good thing the Quest wadding is a bright color. You can easily find and pick it up in the field.