Shrink Wrap Film Recycling
Narrative
The Wyckoff Green Team has estimated that the annual usage of plastic films for the Town of Wyckoff is
97 Tons (194,000 lbs.) for a resident population of 16,000. While most uninformed people dismiss plastic
films as insignificant in the larger solid waste policy issues, in actuality most commercially produced
plastic films resist degradation, are environmental persistence, contain many potentially toxic additives
and have a high potential to accumulate in the environment and threaten wildlife in their habitats.1 For
these reasons plastic films not properly managed in their post use are significant and can be quite
dangerous, especially in their aggregate, accumulative effects.
“Shrink Wrap” plastic film as called out for in this Sustainable Jersey Action item is more accurately
defined as low, medium and high molecular weight polyethylene films, covered roughly by the recycling
numbers # 2 and #4. Common examples of polyethylene films used are bread bags, produce bags,
sandwich bags, newsprint and magazine bags, drying cleaning bags, secondary product packaging like
for paper products, bottles and cans (including their “6-pack” collar) and lastly including the shrink wrap
that covers boats, and shipping pallets. It is important to note that many types of plastic polymers are
commercially used in film applications, besides polyethylene. Complicating issues for the postconsumer recycling of many plastics films is the lack of clear identification of the polymer type used in
the construction of the plastic film. Unfortunately, the use of the recycle number printed on plastic films
is not universally mandated for manufacturers to do. Fortunately, polyethylene film can be roughly
identified from other polymer types (such as polystyrene, polyacrylic and polyvinyl chloride films) by
stretching it lengthwise and then perpendicularly (also called the machine and transverse directions). If
a plastic film stretches in both directions, then there is a good chance that the film is an atactic
polyethylene plastic. If properly segregated by type, polyethylene films, in 1,000 lbs. bales, have a
market value of 15 cents per pound. 2
The recycling of all plastic is divided into two broad categories: rigid or film. Rigid plastics like containers
are recycled in the Town of Wyckoff’s “Single Stream” recycling program including categories #1 thru #7.
Plastic films because of their mechanical properties cannot recycle in the same manner as a rigid plastic.
It was determined that the current recycling contractor for Wyckoff () separates out all plastic films, but
does not further segregate out the films and recycle them. 3 Because of this practice, plastic films added
into Wyckoff’s Single Stream recycling program, are presently separated out for ultimate landfill
disposal. Confusion about the recyclability of plastic films into residential recycling programs is
widespread. Because of this the Green Team sought to find a current best practices recycling program
for plastic films for our Town’s residents.
Over 18 months, the Green Team examined a range of options for implementing a shrink wrap recycling
program. After much study and meeting with Township staff, Green Team and Environmental
Commissioners as well as with the Township’s contracted recycler, the recycler informed our team that
plastic films, regularly “gum up their machinery” and force work stoppages and delays, with much of this
recyclable wasted. They would rather not see this recyclable in our mixed recycling stream. Therefore,
1
“The Great Lakes Have Some of World’s Most Concentrated Plastic Pollution” Dau, James, Oct 29 2012,
greatlakesecho.org/
2
Georgia Pacific, Harmon Recycling Division (See Appendix)
3
Green Star, Paterson, NJ
what was decided on was a “bring back to store plan” where Town residents could bring their clean, dry,
unsoiled #2 and #4 films. This particular approach is also the same taken and recommended by the
Sustainable Packaging Coalition (www.sustainablepackaging.org). This action was focused on creating
accurate information for residents and holding education events discussing film recycling along with the
Single Stream Recycling Program.
To accomplish this the Green Team produced an educational flyer for recycling plastic films, and has
conducted a number of public educational sessions on this topic (2013 Wyckoff Day, 2013 Fishing Derby,
2013 Paper Shredding Day, 2013 Tidy-up Day). The Green Team has also posted detailed film recycling
information on our Green Team Website that is linked to our Town’s Website (See
www.wyckoffgreenteam.org).
While the tracking of plastic film recycling data in the Town of Wyckoff is not in control of Wyckoff
Environmental Commission or Wyckoff Green Team, some information is available from the grocery
store that collects these films through their customer return program. Since the scope of the Wyckoff
Green Team is the Town of Wyckoff, the broader County-wide information on film recycling is not
known. The Town of Wyckoff has only one store site that currently offers collection and recycling of
post-consumer polyethylene films. In a recent survey taken from the store manager of the Wyckoff Stop
& Shop grocery store it has been estimated that they collect 28,700 lbs. of post-consumer polyethylene
films annually.4 It should be noted that this does not include pre-consumer polyethylene films used in
secondary packaging applications related to food container packaging used for shipment (i.e. pallet
shrink wrap).
Date: September 11, 2013
Author: John Adams, Green Team Member
Task Force 4, Solid Waste and Recycling
Wyckoff, NJ USA
4
Mrs .Edna DiBonaventura, Manager, Wyckoff Stop & Shop, 9-11-13
APPENDIX
Plastic Film Waste Recycling Study Report
Summary:
The first Town of Wyckoff Green #4 (Solid Waste) Team study of recyclable “shrink wrap”, polyethylene
films was completed with meaningful data collected. It was experimentally determined that the density
of #2 and #4 post consumer plastic films as collected is 2.12 oz./ gallon (18.9 gm/L).
In 30 days a total of 22.4 lbs of plastic film waste was collected from 5 families participating representing
19 individuals. An error rate of less than 10% based on piece count appears to be achievable.
A further study, with a larger sample size (more participants), could provide a considerably more
accurate estimate as to the actual amount of plastic film waste that could be recycled by our Town. A
“paper napkin” estimate, based on this limited, prototype study, predicts an annual production of 97 US
Tones (194,000 lbs. or 88 Metric Tones) for Wyckoff.
Photo – Entire collection of plastic films used in study.
Experimental Design
Plastic films were sorted and counted for error in type of plastic. Volume of plastic was determined by
measuring height of plastic volume in a rectangle box (base 16.75” by 16.75”) with nominal weighted
board laid on top to determine height of pile. (See photo below). Data and calculations are listed below
(Table 1).
Final bulk density was determined by compressing film under vacuum (Space Bags), and weighing entire
amount with a scale with +/- 0.5 lbs accuracy.
Error is defined as a mis-identified #2 and #4 polyethylene piece of plastic. For this purpose each item of
plastic film was counted as either correct or incorrect, and the error rate was expressed as a percent
ratio of incorrect to total number of pieces. Typical types of incorrectly identified plastics were vinyl
(#3), polypropylene (#5) and other (#7), usually metallized films, or composite laminated films used in
things like potato chip packages.
Date: July 12, 2011
Author: John Adams, Green Team Member
Task Force 4, Solid Waste and Recycling
Wyckoff, NJ USA
Table 1 – Data and Calculations used in Study
Photo – Volume measurement method
Questionnaire _________________________________________________________________________
May 2011
Green Team – Group 4 Solid Waste Opportunity Team
Dear Fellow Green Team Members,
We are asking fellow team members if they would like to volunteer to take part in a study we are
conducting on plastic film recycling in Wyckoff.
In this study you be asked to collect plastic films that are made of polyethylene. These would be
recycling numbers
and
. These numbers are sometimes hard to find on the plastic films.
Examples of these type of plastic films are: grocery or shopping bags, newspaper bags, dry cleaning
bags, shrink wrap for product packaging, lunch bags, produce bags and kitchen storage bags and ZipLoc
bags.
We are requesting that you attempt to recycle as much of this type of plastic film that you can between
tonight’s meeting and next month’s meeting. For this plastic it should be clean and dry, not
contaminated with food or other organic matter, and again not wet.
Please sign our sign-in sheet and fill-out the form below, and take one large clear polyethylene
collection bag. At the end of the collection period, bring back your filled bag, along with your completed
form, below, to our next meeting for us to continue our study.
Please contact me if you have any questions and thanks for your help!
John Adams
Name:
Collection Start Date:
Collection End Date:
Number of members in household:
Number of children and ages:
Comments:
(any disruptions, any special circumstances?) Continue on back if necessary.
End Note 2 Reference
http://www.harmongp.com/
Used by Shoprite for post consumer plastic recycling and recycling of secondary plastic film for
packaging.
Contact with Melodie Ruse, Media Rep for GP 5-4-11 (404-652-4747)