This article will deal with the analysis of the biodegradability status of Blue roll. Other covered aspects would include:
- What is blue roll?
- What are the uses of blue roll?
- Is blue roll harmful?
- What is biodegradation?
- Is blue roll biodegradable?
- FAQs
Is blue roll biodegradable?
Blue roll is biodegradable because it is a type of absorbent paper which may also be called blotting paper. It’s made from plant-based sources such as cotton or rice.
Biodegradability is the breakdown of waste by the action of microbes with the facilitation of external conditions. Natural materials are usually biodegradable.
Blue roll paper is a versatile absorbent paper which may be used for domestic, industrial and commercial purposes. It may come in different thicknesses based on the type of work required.
What is blue roll made of? (7 properties)
Blue roll is an absorbent paper that is available in different variations such as in multiple sheets of layers. Therefore, there are various applications of blue rolls that vary and depend on external needs.
Blue roll is a very versatile and commonly used absorbent paper. Absorbent papers are also referred to as blotting papers.
The name is given because blotting paper has water and other liquid absorbent qualities that make blue roll widely used in regions such as the UK.
Blue roll blotting paper may appear in different thickness sizes or the number of sheets per layer. This is to cater to all the needs of different consumers.
As per the composition of blue roll paper, it is an absorbent paper. Most of the absorbent papers are made from tree sources (wood pulp) because it is a good source of cellulose.
Other sources of absorbent papers include cotton, rice, flax, and powder. Cotton is regarded as a very commonly used source of blotting paper. The reason behind this preference is that cotton is a soft and fluffy material and has a high absorbance capacity. This makes cotton one of the most preferred materials to manufacture absorbent paper.
Another very preferred material for making absorbent paper is rice. The reason why rice is used is that it is porous in nature which makes it an apt choice since absorbent paper must have high absorbent power.
Let us now rummage on the various properties and qualities that blue roll has:
- Hygienic
- High absorbency
- Multi-functional uses
- Different thickness options
- Soft
- Porous
- Wet strength
Is blue roll biodegradable?
After discussing the main contents that may serve as the essential periphery of the article, let us target the main question which is the biodegradability aspect of blue roll.
We have discussed that there are certain conditions that are necessary for the biodegradability of any product. One important condition is the extraction of products from natural sources such as plants and animals.
We have also discussed that this is exactly the case for absorbent papers such as Blue roll because these papers are made from natural sources. Examples of these sources include wood pulp, cotton, and rice.
Therefore, it can be concluded that blue roll is indeed biodegradable. The next big question is how much time is required for blue rolls to biodegrade. Well, the answers to that vary. There are certain factors that may decide the exact degradation time of blue roll that include:
- Microbes
- External conditions
- Types of raw materials
However, usually absorbent papers may degrade in about three to six months. This is very insignificant as compared to non-biodegradable materials which may require more than a thousand years to degrade.
What is the relation between blue roll and global warming?
You may wonder that since blue roll is made from natural materials, there must not be any relation between Blue roll and global warming. However, this is not the case.
There is a direct relation. Blue roll is made from materials that are derived from trees. This means that trees have to be cut in order to make the final product Blue roll.
Trees are important in maintaining the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and also providing with oxygen. For this reason, they are also called atmosphere cleaners.
When more trees are cut, there will be unsustainable amounts of carbon dioixde in the air. This will directly result in fervent heat entrapping leading to global warming and other associated anomalies.
What are the uses of blue roll?
There are multiple uses of blue roll. These can be summarised into the following points:
- Drying of hands
- Cleaning of surfaces
- Finishing of surfaces
- The absorbance of liquid spills
- Drying of liquid or water on hands
- Cleaning of oil on hands
- Safe to be used in the food production environment
It is claimed that there are varied and diverse roles of blue roll which is mainly because of the multi-functional nature of blue roll.
Also, blue rolls may come in different sizes (one, two, and three-ply). Ply size means the layer of materials used. If the ply number is greater then the blue roll will be thicker and hence its use will be of greater rigour.
Owing to the increased hygienic content of blue roll, it is also suited for many applications. It is even said that blue roll is suitable to be used in food production environments as well.
Blue roll is also suitable to be used for personal care purposes. These applications may include being used to wipe off hands or other body parts.
Blue roll may also be used in uses that relate to culinary aspects as well. In short, the applications of blue roll could be segregated into three domains that may be:
- Commercial
- Domestic
- Industrial
Is blue roll harmful to the environment?
This section will cover the environmental impacts that are rendered by the production, use and disposal of blue roll. Therefore, the section will be discussed in three separate domains.
Production of blue roll?
Here, let us discuss the production impacts of blue roll on the environment. Pertaining to that, it can be regarded that blue roll paper is mainly made from natural sources. These sources include:
- Cotton
- Wood pulp
- Rice
- Hemp
All these sources are plant-based and therefore, it can be assumed that there will not be any great significant impacts on the environment.
However, this is not the case entirely. Blue roll, although, is made from plant-based sources, but those sources too will have some impact on the environment.
This is mainly because when blue roll is manufactured, trees are cut to meet the demands of the raw materials.
Trees are the agents that are responsible for cleaning of the environment. They trap carbon dioxide and release oxygen. This helps in the cleaning of the environment.
When more trees are cut, this factor will be affected. The result would be the accumulation of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.
When gases such as carbon dioxide are captured, there will be environmental anomalies that may include global warming. Global warming would lead to a number of other environmental complications too such as:
- Rising sea levels
- Melting of glaciers
- Flooding
- Soil erosion
- Soil infertility
- Loss of crops
- Financial and substantial losses
- Pollution
- Disruption of ecosystems
- Destruction of habitats
Another aspect that must be covered pertaining to the production of blue roll is the use of non-renewable resources.
These sources are used at the expense of fossil fuels. When fossil fuels are burnt, there is a release of harmful gases into the atmosphere. These gases may include carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, SOx and NOx, to name a few.
Use of blue roll
The use of blue roll has no great environmental impact because there is no emission of any harmful materials and also, the use of blue roll does not require any source of energy as well.
Disposal of blue roll
The disposal of blue rolls may or may not create environmental problems. It is mainly dependent on the attitude and approaches behind the actions.
Blue roll is made from natural materials, and hence blue roll will degrade readily. However, if the blue roll is not disposed of properly, it may give rise to problems such as clogging of waste systems or ingestion by marine or land species.
Also, the possibility of blue roll recycling can not be ruled out. Since, blue roll (being an absorbent paper) can be recycled, provided it is not excessively used.
However, if blue roll is heavily contaminated then it is not advised to put them in recycling bins or transport them to recycling centres.
Conclusion
It can thus be concluded that blue roll is a type of absorbent paper which may also be called blotting paper. It’s made from plant-based sources such as cotton or rice.
Biodegradability is the breakdown of waste by the action of microbes with the facilitation of external conditions. Natural materials are usually biodegradable.
Therefore, it can be summarised that blue roll is biodegradable. Blue roll paper is a versatile absorbent paper which may be used for domestic, industrial and commercial purposes. It may come in different thicknesses based on the type of work required.
Frequently Asked Questions: Is blue roll biodegradable?
What is the most important characteristic of blue roll?
Absorption is the most important feature of the blue roll. Others include softness, hygiene, and multi-functional uses.
What is the difference between absorption and adsorption?
Adsorption is limited to the surface of the target material whereas absorption goes into the surface. The latter is more profuse as compared to the former.
References
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- Gage, S. P. (1907). The method of making models from sheets of blotting paper. The Anatomical Record, 1(7), 166-169.
- Foussereau, J. (1984). History of epicutaneous testing: the blotting paper and other methods. Contact Dermatitis, 11(4), 219-223.
- Tokiwa, Y., Calabia, B. P., Ugwu, C. U., & Aiba, S. (2009). Biodegradability of plastics. International journal of molecular sciences, 10(9), 3722-3742.
- Kubowicz, S., & Booth, A. M. (2017). Biodegradability of plastics: challenges and misconceptions.
- Bharadwaj, A., Yadav, D., & Varshney, S. (2015). Non-biodegradable waste–its impact & safe disposal. Int. J. Adv. Technol. Eng. Sci, 3(1).