Last Updated on July 15, 2024 by Nadeem Ahmed
Cardboard boxes are the most accessible packaging that is very easily available and is also economical. Hence, you must have noticed that whenever you order something, most of the time, it comes in some kind of cardboard packaging. Moreover, the cardboard is also very sturdy which makes it very good for keeping the products safe. However, people who are conscious of the environment always doubt their minds. They are always thinking, are cardboard boxes biodegradable? So, the answer is yes! The cardboard boxes are biodegradable which makes them the first choice of everyone.
Table of Contents
What Exactly Is Cardboard?
Cardboard is a heavy-paper material that is thick enough to provide a good carriage for various products. Its colour may be brown, light yellow or some other colour. The colour of the cardboard usually depends on the pigments that contribute to making it. Moreover, one can mould it into any shape or any size. Hence, there are various things that a person can make from it. Due to its strength and adaptability, it serves as the best material for the cardboard packaging industry. The following are some of the characteristics of the cardboard that make it a very excellent source for all the packaging purposes.
Odorless
The cardboard does not have any smell of its own. It means that it does not have many harmful chemicals in it. That is why it is also used for storing some dry food items. Often the packaging of the dry fruits is made from cardboard directly. This also helps keep the environment safe as, when it is biodegraded, it does not emit any foul smell that causes any inconvenience.
Very Light in Weight
The cardboard is very light in weight which means it will not take much time to be degraded. The more the mass of a substance, the more time will it take to be degraded. Hence, the light weight of the cardboard means that it will take very less time for biodegradation. Moreover, the light weight also makes the packaging of very heavy products easy as the cardboard does not have any weight of its own.
Good for The Soil
The cardboard is also very good for the soil when it degenerates. It adds to the nutrients of the soil which makes the soil more fertile. Moreover, it will also help protect the soil from extreme weather conditions by providing a shade for it.
Very Easily Degenerated
If you are still in doubt are cardboard boxes biodegradable? Then the answer is still yes and the additional information is that it may take about two months for its degeneration. You can also do experimentation at home to clear your doubts. If you place the cardboard in water for some time, you will notice that after some time, the cardboard will start to dissolve in water. As the time passes, the water will turn into a thick paste and there will be in trace of the cardboard left. As the cardboard gets converted into such a paste, it becomes very easy later to decompose it even further because most of the bonds present within its molecules are already broken.
Quick tip
Most people use paste that is made after putting the cardboard in water to use for sticking purposes. They can add some glue to this mixture and the resulting paste becomes a very good substitute for glue. People who do arts and crafts often use this paste for making their art pieces.
Eco-friendly
You must have noticed that on most of the boxes, there is a sign of arrows that means that the box is eco-friendly. The sign is true because, as the boxes are easily degenerated, hence, they are also very eco-friendly. Moreover, the cardboard has so many uses other than packaging that people often do not dispose of the cardboard box. They often use it in some creative activity that in turn makes it less harmful to the environment.
Quick tip
Take a cardboard box of normal size, paint it in multiple colours, and make a hole in it of normal size. Hang this box on some tree near your house. It will serve as a cute birdhouse. You can have many such birdhouses of various colours on your tree. You can also place some bird food inside the small house so that the birds will be attracted to it.
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Recyclable
The cardboard packaging industry has it in mind that the cardboard is recyclable. It means that one can use it to make many other things that will be used for various purposes. There are many DIY ideas available on the internet through which a person can make many new things. One can use the cardboard for making the decoration pieces in addition to DIYs, the cardboard boxes are also very good for packing during the shifting. One can place many things in one box which makes it very easy to carry the things from one place to another.
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Are Cardboard Boxes Biodegradable?
Cardboard boxes are a popular packaging material widely used for their cost-effectiveness, versatility, and strength. However, one of the questions often asked about cardboard boxes is whether they are biodegradable. The answer to this question is yes, but it is also more complex than a simple yes or no. Cardboard boxes are made of paper, a natural material from trees. When exposed to the right conditions, such as moisture and microorganisms, the cellulose fibers in paper will eventually break down and become compost.
However, this biodegradation process can take several months or even years, depending on the thickness and composition of the cardboard. Furthermore, synthetic materials, such as adhesives, coatings, and inks, can slow down or even prevent the biodegradation of cardboard boxes. Ultimately, the biodegradability of cardboard boxes depends on various factors, including their composition, the conditions they are exposed to, and the length of time they have been discarded.
Quick tip
Have a look at DIYs available on the internet and you will be baffled by the number of things that you can make from single cardboard from games for children to jewelry boxes for girls, all can be made from cardboard boxes. These things are very creative and innovative and they help the person to spend his/her time in a very good way.
Hence, all these points are in the favor of the cardboard boxes and make them a very good choice for the environment. All the cosmetic companies choose these boxes for the cosmetic packaging of their various items. Moreover, the boxes are plain and hence, one can print anything on them. This printing will make the boxes even more attractive and they will also become the representative of the particular brands of which they have the products.
Hence, the next time someone asks you, are cardboard boxes biodegradable? You can very easily mention all these points that are here in this article. Thus, you can safely use the cardboard boxes without any guilt of harming the environment.
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