In some events, you may have some beeswax leftovers which aren’t needed. But is there a proper and improper way of disposing of them? Because it’s a natural resource, many people are unsure of the best way to dispose of beeswax for the planet. Here’s how to dispose of beeswax.
There are a few ways in which you’re able to dispose of beeswax correctly. The first one is to recycle them to a beeswax recycling program, you’ll be surprised how many are close by you. Secondly, you can come up with unique ideas to use your scraps. For instance, creating candles, enhancing the life of your wooden flower beds, etc.
As you can see, there are various ways in which you can dispose of beeswax respectfully. Beeswax is a natural resource, but certainly something we shouldn’t waste. Therefore, always try and find a purpose for it.
How to dispose of beeswax wraps
There are so many different things you can do with beeswax wraps once you’re done with them. First of all, given that they’re an organic material and animal product, beeswax is completely biodegradable and compostable. So, it can go on your own compost pile, in your compost garbage can, or simply in the soil in your garden.
Alternatively, it has many secondary purposes that make it very useful. It’s a very useful fire starter, for one thing. As I said, it can be made into a candle that will burn for a very long time. Alternatively, you could even use it as a firelighter for a larger campfire.
Beeswax wraps can also be used to treat wood, whether it’s decking, wooden flowerbeds, or something inside your house. Beeswax is a natural varnish, and it doesn’t lose any of its quality in the wraps as they degrade.
Beeswax wraps are a really useful alternative to other kinds of disposable packaging, then. Not only is it eco-friendly and biodegradable, but there’s also plenty of other uses you can get out of it before throwing it away. That said, what actually are these beeswax wraps we’ve been talking about? If you’re not sure, read on to find out.
What are beeswax wraps?
Essentially, beeswax wraps are a much more eco-conscious and environmentally friendly packaging, primarily used for food. In my own case, I know that in the past, I used to use so much cling film bringing my lunch to work every day, and all of it would go straight in the bin. This was my only option for a long time, and it never felt significant to produce so much waste.
Beeswax wraps undercut that problem. The problem with plastic cling film is that synthetic materials like that take thousands of years literally to break down. So whenever we drop a piece of plastic trash, it’s going to be in the environment for a very, very long time.
Beeswax is a naturally produced product made by bees. They make it out of their honeycomb and mixed with pollen oils, the white wax turns brown, resulting in beeswax. Thus, beeswax is an organic product which the environment can break down.
Beeswax wraps, then, are large, flat, flexible pieces of beeswax used as an alternative to cling film or aluminum foil. Not only can the individual pieces be reused, once we eventually are forced to discard them, they will break down and give back to the environment.
So, how long exactly do these things last? Read on to find out.
Does beeswax last forever?
Beeswax is used in a very large variety of different products, so it’s important to note that different products using beeswax will last different amounts of time.
Raw beeswax, much like honey, can actually keep great if stored correctly. Still, edible honey has been found in Egyptian tombs; beeswax has been found on centuries-old shipwrecks and used the next day as if it had been produced yesterday. Stored somewhere cool and dry, the beeswax will essentially keep forever.
Beeswax wraps, on the other hand, are likely to suffer from all the use and handling. They will still last a very long time, but they will slowly break down because they’re being used. The same would be true of a big lump of unprocessed beeswax; if you were constantly handling it, it wouldn’t keep forever.
There are also lots of products that mix beeswax with other things, like shoe polish, leather polish, and even some cosmetic items like skin cream. In these cases, the products may break down quicker depending on what’s in them.
Pure beeswax, however, lasts more or less forever if stored correctly.
How do you recycle leftover candle wax?
Candle wax is a bit different but just as durable, and there are plenty of things you can put old candle wax to use for. If you’ve got enough, you could even simply put it all together to make a new candle!
Other than that, you can also make unique wax melt figurines, you can use molds to get different shapes and put together all sorts of artistic ideas.
If you’re less creatively inclined, maybe it’s finally time to lubricate that squeaky door hinges or drawer. Leftover candle wax is a great way to do this.
Those lingering scents could also be used to infuse your home; oil diffusers are quite good for this and should be able to melt the wax, so you don’t miss out on any of that fragrance. Alternatively, put your leftover wax in a heavy glass jar and place it on a radiator. When the wax melts, it’ll leave the aroma lingering in the room.
Are the ends of your shoelaces frayed? Seal them up with wax! Got a letter to send to someone, and do you want a personal touch? Seal it with wax! There are countless ways you can get creative with leftover candle wax, and even if you can’t think of any right now, try and store it away somewhere. You never know when you might need to lubricate a squeaky hinge.
Beeswax could, literally, be the future in many ways since we’re always looking for ways to be more eco-friendly. If you’ve been thinking about making the switch from plastic clingfilm, there’s no better time to do it, and you’ll save yourself a lot of time and effort in the long run
