Third in a series of five articles exploring how to reduce the environmental footprint of magazine wrappers in mailings and magazine distribution.

 

Biodegradable plastic film can degrade in landfill, but is it the answer'

Biodegradable film has a different additive to Oxodegradeable film which enables it to degrade in landfill. However, this also reduces its shelf-life and increases the cost. Mechanical recycling is technically

feasible for some biodegradable and oxo-degradable plastics where these streams are kept separate from the conventional plastic stream, however, this does not happen at present because volumes are too low to make recovery economic.

 

Lack of volume means minimum two tonne order but with short shelf life

Manufacturers of biodegradable film advise that the material is currently available with a 6-8 week lead time and a minimum order of 2 tonnes. This is because it’s currently not a common choice and is rarely used. We’re monitoring this material closely as there is increasing interest from publishers. If we believe there is enough interest from clients prepared to pay the extra then we may begin stocking it in future as a standard option. As the film degrades on the shelf we need to reach a threshold of interest to ensure it is used before it goes off. In the meantime, we can source the wrap on request but we don’t believe it is a viable option for all but the highest volume publishers at this time.

 

The issues are complex and there isn’t one right answer

At Spatial Global we understand and agree with the drive to reduce our collective environmental footprint. Unfortunately the challenge is complex and the right solution will depend on whether you wish to reduce your use of plastic, reduce waste going to landfill, reduce litter or maintain your current costs. There is no one solution that ticks all these boxes.

 

Here are the five core options for distributing your title by mail:

We hope the following overview will be helpful.

 

1 – Conventional polythene (LDPE)

Recycling Qualities: Recyclable but most councils do not collect polythene wrap

Landfill Qualities: Will remain in landfill indefinitely

Cost Comparison: The most cost effective option

More about Conventional polythene in magazine distribution

 

2 – Oxodegradeable film (breaks down in presence of light and oxygen)

Recycling Qualities: Not recyclable due to additives

Landfill Qualities: Will remain in landfill indefinitely due to lack of light, but will break down in the general environment

Cost Comparison: Slightly higher than conventional polythene

More about Oxodegradeable film in magazine distribution

 

3 – Biodegradable film (degrades in landfill)

Recycling Qualities: Not recyclable due to additives

Landfill Qualities: Will degrade in landfill but has a relatively short shelf-life

Cost Comparison: Approx 300% of the cost of conventional polythene

More about Biodegradable film in magazine distribution

 

4 – Compostable film (manufactured from potato starch)

Recycling Qualities: Not recyclable

Landfill Qualities: Will degrade fully to compost in landfill but has a very short shelf-life

Cost Comparison: Approx 580% of the cost of conventional polythene

More about Compostable film in magazine distribution

 

5 – Paper envelopes (manufactured from recycled paper or sustainable sources)

Recycling Qualities: Recyclable

Landfill Qualities: Will degrade fully to compost in landfill (excluding window if applicable)

Cost Comparison: Approx 530% of the cost of conventional polythene

More about Paper envelopes in magazine distribution

 

It’s possible to reduce the environmental footprint of mailings, but…

The ‘greener’ options tend to be more expensive – which is why conventional polythene has become the de facto standard in the mailing industry. The shorter the shelf-life, typically the longer the manufacturers lead time and many have a minimum order of two tonnes. Spatial Global seeks to be environmentally conscious while giving our customers well-balanced advice on the pros and cons of the various options.

 

Improving our overall environmental performance

Spatial Global has taken positive steps to ensure our environmental impact is reduced wherever practically possible. This includes the installation of low energy lighting and more energy-efficient machines to reduce our carbon footprint. Our waste is recycled wherever possible and we are constantly reviewing our environmental policy to ensure we continually strive to achieve ever-improved standards.

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