Plastic has been put well and truly in the spotlight recently thanks to a certain BBC presenter. From plastic bags to straws, as a society, we’ve been looking at ways we can eradicate unnecessary plastic from our lives.
So, what about the plastic that’s wrapped around magazines, prospectuses and other booklets that drop through our letterboxes? What can be done about that?
Traditionally, polywrap, a low-density polyethylene film, has been the most popular and effective method as it’s affordable and light. Polywrap is LDPE (low-density polyethylene) and is actually easily recyclable. The problem is that many local councils won’t collect it from kerbside recycling at people’s homes. And that’s why it’s under fire.
It’s likely the industry will start to shift away from plastic in direct mail as the public will insist on plastic-free options. Recently we’ve seen Unison and The Guardian switch to potato starch wrappings for their magazines.
Some of the alternative solutions out there include:
- Potato starch
- Printed envelopes
- Cardboard wraps
- Sugar cane