Search for sustainable solutions
The Friend investigates the most sustainable was of wrapping magazines for posting to subscribers
Staff at the Friend are investigating the most sustainable way of wrapping the magazine for posting to subscribers.
Warners of Bourne, who currently print the Friend, have a reputation for pursuing a ‘green’ agenda and post the magazine using a polythene that can be recycled. Some councils are able recycle the polythene and subscribers can also collect their wrappers and send them to Polyprint Limited, who will recycle them (see below).
The National Trust recently decided to post their members’ magazine in a polythene wrapper made from potato starch. The Friend has been investigating this and other alternatives. Poly Lactic Acid (PLA) is both bio-based and biodegradable and is a fermented plastic substitute made from plants such as corn or beet. A British company, Polybags, has developed its own range of eco-friendly packaging, such as biodegradable bin bags, made out of potato starch.
Jon Lomax, managing director of Polybags, explained: ‘The jury is out as to whether conventional plastic recycled well or PLAs are less damaging to the environment. Starch derived plastics compost reasonably readily under the right conditions. However, they use larger amounts of energy to manufacture and transport. The composting process releases greenhouse gases. These remain locked into non-degrading plastics’.
George Penaluna, advertisement manager at the Friend, said: ‘Our current polywrap is the thinnest and lightest weight practicably usable, in order to minimise the material required in its production.’
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Mailing the Friend
The Friend is keen to ensure that we are as environmentally friendly as possible. The plastic wrapper used to mail the Friend is supplied by Polyprint Limited and, in response to a query, they forwarded this information: ‘The polythene used for mailing is recyclable and we encourage recipients to return wrappers to us, preferably along with other household polythene waste.’
The address for film to be sent is: Polyprint Ltd, Unit 7D, Wendover Road, Rackheath Ind Est, Norwich NR13 6LH. Friends can also find out if their local council recycles polythene. Further information: www.polyprint.co.uk/recycling
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