This article will explain the biodegradability status of butcher paper. Other covered topics would include:
- What is butcher paper?
- What are the different types of butcher paper?
- What is butcher paper made of?
- Do you buy butcher paper at the cost of the environment?
- What is biodegradability?
- Is butcher paper biodegradable?
- FAQs
Is butcher paper biodegradable?
Butcher paper is biodegradable because most of it is sourced from kraft pulp. However, butcher paper may also have some synthetic parts such as its outer coating. This part will not be biodegradable.
Butcher paper is a different or exceptional type of paper that is used to coat or cover raw meat or fish. The main purpose of this coating or covering is to protect the meat or fish from airborne contaminants and disruption of flavour.
Butcher paper may come in varied variations that may include white, pink, peach, gardenia, and steak. It must be leak-proof and should be able to maintain the freshness of meat.
What is butcher paper?
This section will serve as an introduction to what is butcher paper. It will also highlight the key properties, uses, and materials that are involved in the making of butcher paper.
This will enable us to proceed toward the main question which is the environmental impact of butcher paper. We will also discuss the biodegradability status of butcher paper while also shedding light on related topics such as the composting factor or the recycling aspect.
Therefore, let us start off with a basic introduction to what is butcher paper. Butcher paper is a different or exceptional type of paper that is used to coat or cover raw meat or fish.
The main purpose of this coating or covering is to protect the meat or fish from airborne contaminants and disruption of flavour.
Therefore, it can be said that butcher paper holds special significance for butchers and buyers because it saves from financial and substantial losses.
Also, it is a very efficient way to ensure that excessive animal killing is avoided by making sure that the meat or fish is not spoiled or harmed. This is important because excessive killing will lead to environmental anomalies such as disruption of ecosystems and loss of balance.
What are the different types of butcher papers? (5 types)
This section will shed light on the different types of butcher papers. This will, in turn, explain the applications and usability that are rendered by butcher papers.
The different types of butcher paper include:
- White butcher paper
- Pink butcher paper
- Peach butcher paper
- Gardenia butcher paper
- Steak butcher paper
The main purpose of white butcher paper is to be either used as a table covering or for the covering of items such as subs or sandwiches. This type of butcher paper is not covered with any additional coating. However, it is FDA-approved.
The next we have is pink butcher paper. The main purpose of pink butcher paper is to wrap meat so that it can be grilled or smoked. The main characteristic that makes this type a perfect fit for its job is the fact that it is leakproof while being breathable.
Therefore, it will mask the leaking of any blood or anything but will ensure that the meat gets enough air so that it does not become soggy or anything.
Next, we have peach butter paper. This is very similar to pink butcher paper. However, there is an additional coating of sizing agent so that the meat stays fresh. It can be said that peach butcher paper is the redefined and improved version of pink butcher paper.
Gardenia butcher paper is classified as a really high-performance butcher paper. Its properties such as moisture prevention, leak-proof, and strong protection make it a good fit among the other available butcher papers. It has a different colour which is analogous to raw fish or meat.
Last, we have steak butcher paper. It may be used to display meat while ensuring that your meat does not lose colour and remain fresh. It may come in different colours such as green, pink or even black.
What butcher paper is made of?
This section will cover the materials and the processes that are associated with the making of butcher paper. This is important because the materials used to make any product will tell a lot about the product.
For example, we can see the difference between normal and bioplastics. Normal or conventional plastics are made from products of fossil fuels. Therefore, there are many grave impacts of this type of plastic.
However, bioplastics are made from natural sources. These include cornstarch or sugarcane. Owing to this, there are decreased environmental impacts of this type of plastic.
Butcher paper is made from wood pulp. You may wonder what is the difference between normal paper and butcher paper, then. The answer is in the kraft process.
The Kraft process is responsible for the retention of cellulose. This leads to a strong butcher paper. These papers can withstand the required functions that may include:
- Being leak-proof
- Superior protection
- Breathability
- Maintenance of freshness of meat
- Hygienic and FDA approved
Do you buy butcher paper at the cost of the environment?
Butcher paper is made from wood pulp. This automatically implies that butcher paper is sourced from natural sources (plants and trees).
The main question is, would butcher paper have any significant impact on the environment? The answer may be explained from a variety of frames.
There will definitely be certain effects of butcher paper on the environment. This is mainly because making butcher paper means that trees are cut. When trees are cut, there will be environmental consequences.
Trees are essential entities that save us from environmental anomalies and play their part in the sustainability and maintaining the greenness of the environment.
If there will be excessive tree cutting, there will be negative impacts on the environment including soil erosion, destruction of habitats, and disruption of ecosystems. Trees are the primary producers. They are the starting points of food webs and food chains.
If trees are cut in grave amounts, there will be effects reciprocated at various levels of food chains.
With decreased amounts of trees, there will be an increased release of carbon in the form of carbon dioxide. This is because plants and trees take up carbon and convert it into oxygen. This saves our atmosphere from a couple of environmental anomalies.
When there are fewer trees, there will be a more polluted atmosphere due to carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is regarded as a greenhouse gas. This is because it leads to a phenomenon that is termed global warming.
Global warming, as the name suggests, leads to increased global temperatures. This, in turn, gives rise to a plethora of other anomalies as well. These can be summarised into:
- Increased melting of glaciers
- Soil erosion
- Deforestation
- Acid rain
- Ozone depletion
- Droughts
- Floods
- Disruption of ecosystems
- Destruction of habitats
- Unprecedented weather patterns
- Financial losses
- Substantial losses
- Species endangerment
However, the factor that really creates the difference is the green mindset of the manufacturer. If the manufacturer of butcher paper is environmentally conscious, he will make sure that if trees are cut, more trees are planted. Also, the cutting of trees is not affecting animal life by associating with organisations such as the Forest Stewardship Council.
What is biodegradability?
Biodegradability is defined as the process of breakdown of waste into simpler products by the action of microbes and enzymes. The term biodegradability is coined from two terms. These are bio and degradation.
Bio means life and degradation means the breakdown into simpler materials. This breakdown is very essential because it is a parameter to ensure that there is no waste generation and no waste accumulation.
If there is waste accumulation, pollution and natural habitats will be disrupted. A common example of biodegradation can be the spoilage of food or rotting vegetables.
Biodegradability can also be analogised to the Earth’s dustbin because it is a process to treat and segregate waste. Biodegradability ensures that the waste gets back to the system and is properly utilised.
However, not all waste is biodegradable. When it comes to biodegradability, there are two types of waste that are present. These include biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste.
Biodegradable waste is the type of waste which can be degraded by the action of microbes and enzymes over a short period of time. Regarding this type, there is a general rule of thumb that biodegradable waste is mostly sourced from natural sources.
Examples of biodegradable waste include plant waste, animal waste, sewage, manure, waste from slaughterhouses et cetera.
Next, we have is a non-biodegradable waste. This type of waste is mostly sourced from non-natural sources such as the products of fossil fuels. This type of waste won’t degrade readily by the action of microbes.
It is claimed that this type of waste may require even a thousand years to degrade. Therefore, it will lead to waste accumulation and negative impacts. Because of this, non-biodegradable waste is of greater concern to environmentalists as compared to biodegradable waste.
Examples of non-biodegradable waste include synthetic plastics, synthetic fibres, epoxies, hazardous waste, nuclear waste, electronic waste et cetera.
Is butcher paper biodegradable?
Based on these details, it can be inferred that butcher paper is sourced from natural sources. Therefore, it can be said that butcher paper is biodegradable.
It is claimed that most butcher paper is mostly biodegradable. However, butcher paper may also have some synthetic parts such as its outer coating. This part will not be biodegradable.
Conclusion
It is concluded that butcher paper is biodegradable because most of it is sourced from kraft pulp. However, butcher paper may also have some synthetic parts such as its outer coating. This part will not be biodegradable.
Butcher paper is a different or exceptional type of paper that is used to coat or cover raw meat or fish. The main purpose of this coating or covering is to protect the meat or fish from airborne contaminants and disruption of flavour.
Butcher paper may come in varied variations that may include white, pink, peach, gardenia, and steak. It must be leak-proof and should be able to maintain the freshness of meat.
Frequently Asked Questions: Is butcher paper biodegradable?
What is the main purpose of the butcher paper?
The main purpose of butcher paper is to store and carry meat while letting it preserve for a long and not letting it get contaminated.
Which type of butcher paper is the best?
Peach butcher paper is argued to be the best because of its additional coating.
References
- Calegari, D. (2021). Sausages and Butcher Paper. arXiv preprint arXiv:2105.11265.
- Tokiwa, Y., Calabia, B. P., Ugwu, C. U., & Aiba, S. (2009). Biodegradability of plastics. International journal of molecular sciences, 10(9), 3722-3742.
- Webstaurant Store Blog. What is butcher paper? Retrieved from: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/blog/92/butcher-paper-faqs.html
- BBQ Revolution. (August 29, 2022). Ultimate Guide to Pink Butcher Paper & BBQ. Retrieved from: https://bbqrevolt.com/guides/pink-butcher-paper/