As a removal company, shrink wrap is one of the many tools of our trade. It is useful for a number of reasons. Such as wrapping furniture with sharp corners. Or creating a protective layer when wrapping open kallax boxes of our packing service. However, as a reputable removal company, we are always conscious of the environmental impact that each move has. Therefore, we wanted to find out, is shrink wrap recyclable?
Well, the good news is that more often than not it is! However, there are a few things that are worth noting before we get too excited…
What is shrink wrap made of?
Shrink wrap is made of plastic. However, as we covered with our decision to use plastic wardrobe boxes over cardboard, not all plastic is bad!
Most shrink wrap is made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE). When this material is marked with a recycling number four then this means it can be recycled. Historically, councils only accepted materials marked one or two, but as times have changed, and technology has improved, this has opened up recycling to a wider range of materials, including low-density polyethylene (LDPE) shrink wrap!
However, some shrink wrap is made of mixed polyolefin. This material can still be recycled, but not as widely as LDPE. Therefore, it is always worth checking with your local authority if you can include it with your recycled waste.
Where can shrink wrap be recycled?
Anywhere that accepts plastic bags to be recycled, such as local recycling centres or even supermarkets, will accept shrink wrap. However, do be mindful that shrink wrap is not only useful for moving house. You may be inclined to take along any plastic wrap that has been used for other purposes, like covering food. In these cases, the wrap has unfortunately been contaminated and is therefore not recyclable.
Plastic alternatives
Of course, we aim to reduce our plastic usage as much as possible and it is reassuring to know that shrink wrap is recyclable once we have completed the move.
Of course, using recyclable materials is great where there is no alternative. However, we will always assess the different options available to us during your move. More often than not, this includes reusing materials and equipment. This is one of the reasons why we use protective removal covers as standard. This means we have to use less shrink wrap to protect and cover your large furniture. The same can be applied to items such as mirrors where instead of using bubble wrap, we will use specialist removal blankets which can be used time and time again.
Moving house is stressful and sometimes you just want to pick the material which is quick and easy to get the job done. However, with a little thought and research, you will find that there are different options both during and after your move has taken place.
