Huge Landfill Waste Reductions From Degradable Pallet Wrap

Convex Plastics will soon be helping companies reduce their landfill waste by tens of thousands of kilograms per year by supplying them with degradable pallet wrap.

Pallet wrap (also known as cling film and stretch wrap) is used to wrap around pallets to secure freight transported on trucks and ships, and huge quantities are sent to landfills around the country each year.

By adding a propriety additive called re~solve, Convex Plastics will soon be able to supply clients with petroleum-based plastic pallet wrap that has been altered to breakdown in landfills in just a few months – rather than 1000s of years.

re~solve films (also known as EPI or oxo-biodegradable bags) can degrade in landfill, compost or water – and their break down rate can be customised to suit specific applications.

Convex Plastics is currently in the process of finalising negotiations with a supplier and is expecting to be able to confirm prices and delivery dates for degradable pallet wrap by the end of June.

Convex Plastics Managing Director, Owen Embling, says re~solve films are proving to be a popular first step forward for many companies wanting to minimise their impact on the environment.

Convex is already producing several re~solve bags – including retail carry bags and magazine wraps – and more products are currently being trailed.

Owen says, “Although they are not sourced from non-renewable materials, and are therefore not the ideal environmentally friendly packaging solution, it is often all a company can achieve within their budget – and re~solve films do deliver some significant environmental benefits when compared to normal plastics. They also exhibit the same strength characteristics as normal polyethylene films and can be recycled in normal recycling outlets.”

“One client who is already eager to switch to degradable pallet wrap is currently using 27,000kgs of non-degradable pallet wrap per year in the transportation of their goods to market – and the potential for just that one client to benefit the environment is huge.”

Oxo-biodegradation occurs when a proprietary additive, such as EPI (marketed by Convex Plastics as re~solve) causes the plastic to oxidize when exposed to oxygen, heat, sunlight or mechanical stress. The polyethylene molecules break down into smaller molecules, which are digested by microorganisms such as fungi or bacteria, leaving only water, carbon dioxide and biomass, which are all natural substances.

To find out more about degradable cling film, please contact Convex Technical Manager Andrew Sheerin at: Ph. 07 847 5133, Mob. 021 190 3898, Email. andrew.s@convex.co.nz.