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With the improvement of environmental awareness, much attention has been paid to the sustainability of materials. Among daily materials, the application of ceramics ranges from tableware and decoration to even construction. However, is ceramic considered biodegradeable material? That may be a question lots of people care about. In this blog, we are going to learn more about the degradable properties of ceramics and their role in environmental protection.
What are biodegradable materials?
Biodegradable materials refer to materials that could be decomposed into simple compounds, such as carbon dioxide, water, and organic matter by microbial action in the natural environment. Such materials usually need to meet the following characteristics:
- Completely decompose within a certain period of time.
- Harmless to the environment and leave no toxic residues.
- Degradable without relying on industrial processing.
Common biodegradable materials include paper, wood, certain natural fibers, etc.
Composition and degradation characteristics of ceramics
Ceramics are one type of inorganic non-metal material, usually prepared through a specific heat treatment procedure involving inorganic non-metallic minerals, such as clay, feldspar, and quartz. Chemical and physical properties give it the advantages of high-temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, and high hardness.
Degradation rate of ceramics
It takes several hundreds, or even thousands of years to decompose completely in nature. Its natural degradation is a very slow process.
The degradation of ceramics depends more on weathering, rain erosion, and other forces of nature rather than microbial decomposition.
Is ceramics biodegradable?
Speaking strictly, ceramics could not be regarded as biodegradable materials because they could not be decomposed fast using biological processes. Its degradation is mainly physical and chemical processes, which is essentially different from typical biodegradable materials.
Environmental characteristics of ceramics
Although ceramics are not biodegradable materials, they do not pollute the environment:
- Non-toxic and harmless: It is made of natural mineral materials and will not produce harmful substances in use.
- Durability: The high durability of ceramics ensures that it has a long service life and reduces the generation of waste.
- Recyclability: Waste ceramics can be crushed and used as raw materials for building materials or other uses, reducing the consumption of natural resources.
How to make ceramics more environmentally friendly?
Although the natural degradation capacity of ceramics is limited, we can improve its environmental value in the following ways:
Prolong service life
Choose high-quality ceramic products, use them properly, and maintain them. Avoid frequent replacement to reduce resource waste.
Recycling
Waste ceramics can be used for filling, paving, or even as raw materials for artistic creation to achieve secondary utilization of resources.
Promote environmentally friendly production
Companies like Yongjian Ceramics are obligated by policies to ensure that more energy-saving and environmentally friendly productions, such as low-energy firing in kilns, will be installed to reduce carbon emissions to help with environmental protection.
Ceramics and Sustainable Living
Although ceramics are not biodegradable materials, their durability and eco-friendly features make them very important in sustainable living. Relatively compared to highly polluting materials like plastics, the use of ceramics has less negative impact on the environment and is more eco-friendly.
Conclusion
Due to their unique physical properties, ceramics are not biodegradable materials, but neither can their environmentally friendly characteristics be denied. Besides, through reasonable use and recycling, it is possible for ceramics to become an important part of modern sustainable living.
As a professional ceramic tableware manufacturer, Yongjian Ceramics does not only provide a range of high-quality wholesale ceramic tableware with competitive prices but also makes efforts to minimize its environmental impact by using highly advanced environmentally friendly production technology. Equipped with energy-saving kilns and modern production lines, we are devoted to efficiently producing beautiful-designed, durable ceramic tableware to contribute value both for the customer and the environment.
If you are looking for eco-friendly and quality wholesale ceramic tableware, please feel free to contact Yongjian Ceramics! We are looking forward to cooperating with you for a green future.
As a 30+ years ceramic dinnerware manufacturer, Yongjian Ceramics is dedicated to providing you with premium wholesale ceramic tableware.
