Is Cryovac shrink film biodegradable? (5 reasons it is eco-friendly)

The article will target the biodegradability of Cryovac shrink films while also covering topics such as

Composting
Recycling
Ways or steps to recycle
Eco-friendliness and sustainability

Is Cryovac shrink film biodegradable?

Cryovac shrink films are not biodegradable because these films are made from plastics. Plastics are synthetic polymers that may remain in the environment for as long as a thousand years.

To develop a stance on the biodegradability of Cryovac shrink film, it is essential to know what biodegradability is in the first place.

What is biodegradation?

Biodegradation can be explained as the breakdown that is caused by the action of microbes such as bacteria or fungi. It is nature’s way to make sure that there is no waste buildup.

Biodegradation is an important concept because, without it, the whole world will become a huge heap of waste. However, biodegradation is not that simple. There are certain conditions that need to be met.

Some of the conditions include the material should be sourced from nature, should be organic in nature and it also should be eco-friendly.

What is Cryovac shrink film made of?

If we explore the case of Cryovac shrink films, these are made from olefin shrink film. In simple words, there is the use of plastics in the making of Cryovac shrink films.

If we reassess what plastics are, these are the non-biodegradable polymers that are made from petrochemicals and extrusions of non-renewable resources.

When it comes to polymers, there are two main types, one is natural polymers and the other is synthetic polymers.

As depicted in the name too, natural polymers are extracted from nature and therefore, are biodegradable. Whereas, synthetic polymers are made in synthetic chemicals and therefore, are not biodegradable and are also considered less proximal to being eco-friendly.

Is it compostable?

The term biodegradation and composting travel parallel. When something is not biodegradable, chances are it also is not compostable.

The same is observed in the case of Cryovac shrink films. Composting is done so that there is an increase in the organic content of the soil and therefore, as a result, there are benefits achieved such as increased yield, better production et cetera.

However, in the case of Cryovac shrink films, the organic inside is missing and therefore, the basic essence of composting can not be fulfilled. In light of this, it can be said that Cryovac shrink films can not be composted.

What is the recycling status of Cryovac shrink films?

The recycling status of Cryovac shrink films is rather equivocal or mixed. Before a stance is discussed and deliberated, let us rummage through the basics of recycling.

What is recycling?

Recycling is a process by which waste is not simply disposed of. Instead, waste is utilised and modified in a way so that it can be made into new products.

This approach is very advantageous for non-biodegradable and biodegradable materials. However, its eminence is many times more in the case of non-biodegradable materials.

Why is recycling one of the best ways to deal with non-biodegradable waste?

If the non-biodegradable materials are not processed or recycled, they will remain in the system for hundreds of years. This will create environmental problems.

There are many issues that are associated. For example, there is the issue of waste generation. As per various studies, it is assessed that global waste generation will rise up to 3 billion tons in a single year.

In such dire situations, the only befitting thing to do is to make sure that waste generation is reduced and recycling is one efficient way to get closer to this goal.

Other issues that are anchored with the notion of non-biodegradable waste is the fact that such waste will also contribute their part in the elevation (not alleviation) of environmental problems such as global warming, climate change, pollution et cetera.

Therefore, it is argued and defended that recycling is one of the best ways to deal with non-biodegradable waste and therefore, this section is equally important to deal with.

Is Cryovac shrink film recyclable? If yes, how to?

Therefore, now, let us attempt to answer the question. Is the Cryovac shrink film biodegradable or not?

The answer can be given in certain frames. While it is technically possible to recycle the Cryovac shrink film, it is not always possible.

The main reason is that Cryovac shrink film, due to its size and makeover, can create a lot of complications and obstructions in the recycling process. The recycling facility may also get damaged and therefore, not every recycling centre will accept recycling the used Cryovac shrink film.

However, it is not the end of the world. As it is claimed that there is a silver lining to every dark cloud. The producers of Cryovac shrink film have partnered with a recycling program called how2recycle program.

This means that whenever there are any recycling centres or bins of the how2recycle program, you can conveniently recycle the used Cryovac shrink film.

However, if there are not any, there are two things that you can do. One is to look up the nearby how2recycle program bins or centres. There are none in the vicinity, you can ask your curbside recycling centres if they accept recycling the used Cryovac shrink film.

Is Cryovac shrink film eco-friendly?

The sustainability of eco-friendliness of Cryovac shrink film can be answered through two frames. One is the absolute frame and the other is the comparative frame.

The absolute frame?

From this point of view, the Cryovac shrink film can not be given the status of being eco-friendly because of reasons such as

It is non-biodegradable
It features the use of plastics
Its recycling is not possible in all cases
It features the consumption of non-renewable resources
It cannot be composted

Therefore, with these points in mind, biodegradable films take the win because these are made from biodegradable materials and can also be composted.

The comparative frame

From a comparative point of view, Cryovac shrink film is eco-friendly because

The production features decreased energy production
There are thinner variants available which means less plastic is used
The innovative technology means lower carbon footprint
The packaging material can be reduced to up to 50%
The environmental benefits are enjoyed without any compromise on the utility

It is argued that the utility offered by Cryovac outdoes those offered by other films including biodegradable films too. With that context, Cryovac takes the win here.

Conclusion

It is concluded that Cryovac shrink film is not biodegradable because it is made of plastic material. However, recycling is possible. But, recycling is limited because of the size and shape.

The producers of Cryovac shrink film have partnered with a recycling program called how2recycle program.