Amazon ships millions of packages monthly. Imagine how much packaging tape must produce! So, you are probably curious if the Amazon packaging tape is compostable. We thoroughly researched the internet to find out the answer so that we can take note on proper disposal since it involves the environment.
The Amazon Prime tape is 100% compostable and recyclable. The packaging tape consists of thick fibers and is biodegradable.
You probably have a pile-up of Amazon boxes laden with packaging tape at home. Now, you know you can dispose of it without damaging the environment. So, please read on to learn some tips regarding the composting process of Amazon packaging tapes.
Can We Compost Amazon Packaging Tape?
Amazon packaging tape is compostable. However, it won't be easy as you think it is. Composting it in a traditional compost pile will take a long period to break down. The thick fibers it consists of should break down relatively quickly, but the more rigid material will take years to decay.
The biodegradability of the tape's fibers is fantastic for landfills but not so great for gardeners. So, if you compost the packaging tape, you should expect to pull out tiny portions as you work it into the soil.
Shipping labels, on the other hand, are not biodegradable. That is because they are mostly plastic. So, if you are planning to recycle or compost the packaging materials, make sure that you remove the shipping labels first.
Benefits We Can Get From Composting Packaging Tapes
- It can enrich the soil. It will hold and keep moisture from the soil and stop diseases and pests.
- It will reduce your need to use chemical fertilizers.
- Composting can increase the production of beneficial fungi and bacteria. Those two are excellent for breaking down organic matter to produce a rich nutrient material: humus.
- Composting can lower the carbon footprint by reducing methane emissions from landfills.
Can We Compost Amazon Prime Boxes?
Aside from the Amazon packaging tape, the multitude of boxes should also be one of our concerns. It is an excellent thing that these Amazon Prime boxes are also compostable.
To allow them to decompose a lot easier, you must shred them. Once you finish shredding, add them to a compost pile in a suitable brown to green ratio. However, expect that they will take longer to break down than most other brown materials, even if you put them in an active compost pile.
There would be no problem with the shipping boxes. However, the main concern is the black ink that creates the logo. The Amazon shipping box would have been printed with petroleum-based ink 20 years ago, harmful when utilized over such a vast area.
Furthermore, e-commerce developed over time and became environmentally conscious. The industry turned into a much cheaper and excellently sustainable alternative; the soy-based inks. And this development has made carbon-based composting materials significantly safer.
However, Amazon's website does not provide a precise answer to which ink they presently utilize. There is a possibility that it is vegetable-based ink or charcoal ink.
Like other corrugated cardboard boxes, Amazon Prime boxes should be compostable with little to no risk of contamination.
How To Compost Amazon Prime Boxes?
If we talk about the highest value grade of recyclable papers, corrugated cardboard is the answer. Amazon boxes are corrugated, and it has long and strong fibers that you can recycle into lower-quality paper goods in the future. It can, however, take a long time to degrade due to its durability.
To add the shipping boxes to your compost, we suggest removing the shipping labels first. You can also include removing the tape if you don't want to wait for it to break down.
Depending on how much cardboard supply you have, you may want to make another compost pile and put all the cardboard you own at once. But if you only have a few of the shipping boxes, you can add them to the existing compost pile.
It would be best to wet the shipping boxes down to be easier to tear. You can opt to add an all-natural liquid detergent during the soaking process to make them break down quicker. Cut the boxes into tiny pieces and mix them with your brown waste as you construct your compost pile.
Cardboard can lengthen the time for an active compost pile to complete. However, cardboard is an excellent moisture-retaining element. It would be useful to break down, especially if you are in an area with a dry climate because it will assist in keeping the compost pile active by ensuring that the moisture content is consistent.
What Is The Importance Of Composting Amazon Shipping Boxes
We utilize nearly 100 billion corrugated cardboard boxes in the United States every year! And those boxes will either be recycled or disposed of in a landfill. In addition, over 40% of solid trash in landfills is from cardboard and paper.
We are sure you are familiar with the three Rs; reduce, reuse, and recycle. These three give importance to the product chain. It should always be our main priority to reduce our consumption. Second, if possible, we must reuse whatever we consume. And lastly, we should recycle whatever materials we can't reuse.
Cardboards do not add much nourishment to the soil. However, it gives one crucial component that is vital for solving soil problems. And that is structure.
When brown organic matter decomposes, it will become bulky. This bulky organic matter will increase porosity. And that will enhance the clay soil's drainage, retaining water in sandy soils, and most importantly, keeping the nutrients in all soils.
Several homes have problems with their lawn and garden. And they are primarily because of soil difficulties. Having healthy soil ensures you also have healthy landscapes and lawns.
Thus, making free soil additions saves you money on maintenance and helps reuse perishable items. So, if you have healthy soil, you will need less fertilizing, watering, and reduced pesticide applications.
Whatever your purpose for composting cardboard boxes, there are good advantages to making it a realistic option for downsizing the garbage your household generates.
How To Remove Packaging Tape From Shipping Boxes?
If you plan to reuse or recycle the cardboard boxes, it would be best to remove the packaging tape from them. Yes, you can tear the tape off from the box. However, doing so will also take some parts of the box. And that will result in rendering the box useless.
So, it would be best to follow the methods below to let the box remain useful.
Pull Tape Off
Get the box and pull it closer to you. Check if the tape comes off. Then slide your finger underneath the higher portion to pull the tape off. Remove as much tape as you can.
Acetone Soak to Remove Adhesive
Get an acetone nail polish remover and apply it to a cotton ball. Apply the cotton ball to the tape and keep dabbing it until the adhesive from the tape loosens. Once you notice that the tape rises, peel it off.
Cut Tape Off Using Scissors
You have to prepare a pair of scissors for the third step. Start cutting the tape at the box's end and downwards to the middle. Second, you have to remove the tape by pulling back the edges.
Slide the scissors blade underneath the tape which is sticking to the box. And continue to press it underneath the tape until you notice that the tape comes away from the box. Lastly, pull it off.
Cut Tape Off Using Box Cutters
Get a box cutter and use it to cut through the tape. Remove the pieces that you can easily detach and score the others.
Check out this cardboard and box cutter on Amazon.
Dampen the Adhesive Using Vinegar
Get a damp towel and dip it in vinegar and wet the pieces. Lastly, remove the portions and throw them away.
Use Window Cleaner to Remove Adhesive
On the packaging tape, spray a window cleaning solution. And allow the tape to absorb it for a few minutes. Observe the tape to see if it lifts. And if it does, remove it.
Wrap It All Up
Composting has so many beneficial factors. And it is an excellent idea to compost the packaging tape and shipping boxes that you get from Amazon. You may not notice it, but it can significantly contribute only advantages to our environment. And always remember the three Rs of waste management: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
We hope you find this post useful for your queries. And we'd love to help you more! So, you might want to check more of our articles below and gain further knowledge.
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