I really love snacking on cheese. And for that reason, I can’t miss out on cheese wax in my house.
Waxed cheese is on-demand today as it is cheaper and available. In fact, most people regard it as a viable alternative to plastic wrap.
Although I’m a big fan of cheese brands, my compost pile doesn’t seem to love my Babybel cheese wax any time soon.
I’ve been storing it, figuring out the best ways to reuse it. But is cheese wax compostable?
Let’s dive into our article and get a piece of in-depth information about cheese wax.
Can You Compost Cheese Wax?
No. Adding cheese wax to your compost pile isn’t advisable.
Cheese wax is made using a mixture of paraffin and microcrystalline, and, surprisingly, both are petroleum-based.
The material will take hundreds of years to break down properly.
So throwing cheese wax into a landfill isn’t an option either.
As we know, all products will decompose at some point.
One of the key considerations is the time a product will take to break down completely.
Owing to the fact that cheese wax will take more than 450 years means that it won’t decompose quickly.
It isn’t recommended for your home compost piles. Rather than disposing of it, there are better ways to reuse it.
What Is Cheese Wax Made Of
Maybe you’ve been buying waxed cheese from your local area, and you’re not aware of what makes cheese wax.
It consists of:
- Microcrystalline
- Paraffin
- Colorings (food-grade colors)
Is Cheese Wax Biodegradable
Yes. Cheese wax is biodegradable.
Keep in mind that not all biodegradable products are compostable, and cheese wax isn’t an exception.
Paraffin is biodegradable.
Cheese wax is derived from a blend of paraffin. It will therefore biodegrade over time.
According to the research, paraffin waxes are biodegradable.
The wax components iso- and n-alkanes with up to 50 carbon units biodegrade rapidly.
The research further states that microcrystalline waxes are biodegradable, but this will take a longer time.
That’s why you shouldn’t add it to your compost heap unless you want to invite rodents to invade your heap.
How to Reuse Cheese Wax?
Wondering how you can use cheese wax?
There are a couple of ways you can reuse cheese wax that you’ve been storing after you used it to preserve the cheese.
Unlike other waxes, this one remains pliable and soft even after you set it.
You can easily peel it away from the cheese without making it crack or crumble in brittle pieces.
Here is how you can use it:
- Sealing bottles and jars. Make sure you clean the wax
- Fire starter. The wax contains paraffin that helps sustain a flame. Most campers and adventurers use it during their outdoor activities like camping.
- You can make medieval wax for your kids.
- Molding. Mold the wax into different yet unique shapes for fan. Also, you can practice drawing a wide range of objects using wax.
- Coat your own cheese. You can reuse it or pass it onto your friends who like making hard cheese at their homes.
Microcrystalline wax in cheese wax is tricky, higher in melting point, and more flexible.
Some industries like tires, candles, rubber, cosmetics, casting, and adhesives use it for various purposes.
Can You Recycle Cheese Wax?
Cheese wax made of natural paraffin can be recyclable. You can recycle it in your red bin or food caddy.
But you can’t recycle the wax that you no longer use every time, instead reuse it.
Clean it, melt it down and use it to seal containers and bottles.
How to Burn Cheese Wax
You can burn cheese wax to make fire starters or use it in other ways. It will melt quickly.
First, fill your large pan with water, place it on your hotplate to heat, and make sure it heats evenly.
Place the wax in a glass bowl or small pan. Put the glass bowl in the large pan.
Let it heat until the wax melts.
Conclusion
As seen, cheese wax isn’t compostable.
It’s made of paraffin and microcrystalline (all are petroleum-based).
It will biodegrade, but this will take a longer time. Adding it to your compost isn’t a go-to option. Instead, reuse it.
