Rubber gloves are too good. They are comfortable, do not let the dirt touch your hand, easily mold to your palm shape, and feel good against your skin. They are one of the most used work gear.
And this brings us to the other side of the coin. What about the waste that these gloves leave behind? Can they be a nuisance to nature? How can they be disposed of after use? Do all rubber gloves exhibit the same characteristics post their life?
Rubber gloves are compostable. This is because rubber is a natural material made from rubber tree sap or latex. Hence, they decompose when put in the soil. However, not all rubber gloves are completely green. The addition of synthetic material affects the purity of the material.
Are rubber gloves fully organic?
Rubber gloves can be organic if they are created with 100% non-synthetic materials. Tapping rubber is quite natural and the material made from it will be strong, robust, and resistant to dirt.
However, for commercial purposes, rubber is often mixed with other substances to enhance its properties. This increases the life and strength of the resultant.
And if they are made with additional substances, the organic become not that organic anymore. A part of the material becomes synthetic making the gloves not that green.
The good news is you can now find fully organic gloves now in the market. They are made completely with natural rubber and therefore leave you guilt-free while you work in your garden.
Check out some of the sites that sell fully organic rubber gloves:
https://www.peacewiththewild.co.uk/product/if-you-care-natural-rubber-gloves/
https://shopwhatsgood.com/products/if-you-care-household-gloves
https://ohnatural.co.nz/product/if-you-care-household-gloves/
What makes rubber gloves good for compost?
It is scientifically proved that rubber gloves make an excellent ingredient for compost. Yes, that is right. As rubber is a substance that is derived from the nature, you need not worry about what you will do with them post their usage.
Compost requires things that can enhance the nutritional capacity of the soil and rubber gloves can serve this purpose quite well.
And that is why nature lovers advise disposing of these work gear in compost pits once you find them unusable.
Rubber gloves as mentioned above are organic. They come from nature so they should go to nature too.
When put in soil microorganisms can easily break them into molecules making them suitable to mix with the soil.
How to dispose of rubber gloves in compost?
Rubber gloves post usage cannot be recycled. Once the material is used, it is advised not to go for it again.
This leaves us with the option of disposing of them safely. And therefore it is extremely important for you to know the proper way to do it.
First, clean your gloves properly. If you have used the gloves for chores that do not involve chemicals, you do not need to worry much about cleaning. Garden soil or mud can be washed off with water.
But, if you have used them for other purposes that involved chemicals, hazardous liquids, or something that does not fall under ‘natural’ then you better tidy up those gloves pretty well.
And why is it said so?
Because chemicals can impact how the gloves get broken up in the soil. Microorganisms will be badly affected leaving them weak. As a result, they will not carry out their job and the composting does not happen.
You can clean your gloves with soap and water. Make sure to brush the surface thoroughly with soap until you are sure that there are no chemicals or other harsh liquids left on the material. Then rinse with water and clean it completely.
This makes the gloves tidy as new and this prevents any kind of contamination when put in the compost soil.
Post washing, you need to do one more thing – cutting up the gloves into small pieces.
Yes, brutal it might seem but this is very essential for the fast decomposition of the rubber. Small pieces take less time to mix with the soil. The pieces will become hard and crumble into tiny particles with time.
When you cut make sure to cut into several pieces and not just two or three. The smaller the parts are the faster they will decompose.
What about latex gloves?
Latex is the white milky substance derived from the rubber tree or what you call rubber tree sap. So the rubber that we see is the sub-product of latex. Hence latex gloves fall under rubber gloves
In fact, ‘latex gloves’ is the more popular name. Latex gloves are known to be the most comfortable of all. When compared to nitrile or polyester gloves, latex gloves are acknowledged to be the better option in every way.
Synthetic elements can affect the greenness of the gloves here as well. So better to buy fully biodegradable latex gloves.
Can I recycle rubber gloves?
Recycling rubber gloves is not recommended by experts. Once the material reaches the end of its lifecycle, it should not be used for anything. This might be because of the uncertainty of what these gloves might have been used for.
Most of the latex gloves are single-use. You can find the instructions saying the same while you buy the gloves.
Does this mean all rubber gloves are the same?
No, synthetic rubber gloves can be recycled. Most nitrile gloves are therefore advertised as green gloves. They can be easily recycled as the material is long-lasting due to its special chemical characteristics.
Conclusion
Rubber gloves are compostable. They are biodegradable, unlike plastic gloves. Hence, these are the best choice for those who are looking for options that are sustainable and nature friendly. Make sure to buy those gloves that are made with pure rubber.
