The most effective ways to cut stretch film’s environmental impact are to use film with recycled content, use less film per pallet, and recycle the film you use. There is no version of stretch film that has no impact, so honest progress comes from those three levers, not from a single “green” product that solves everything. Our film contains 30% or more recycled content, which addresses the first.
Here is a straight look at what genuinely reduces the impact of pallet wrapping, what the UK Plastic Packaging Tax means for you, and which claims to treat with caution.
Recycled Content: A Real, Measurable Lever
The clearest way to lower the impact of stretch film is to use film that contains recycled material, so less new plastic is made. Recycled content is measurable and verifiable, which is why it is a meaningful figure rather than a vague claim.
Our film contains 30% or more recycled content. That means at least a third of the material is reprocessed rather than new, and because it is still polyethylene, it can be recycled again after use. Recycled content also matters for tax, which we cover below.
One honest trade-off: film with recycled content is very slightly less clear than film made entirely from new plastic, because reprocessed material is not perfectly uniform. In practice our clear film is still clear enough to see products and labels through, but it is worth knowing that recycled content and glass-clear transparency pull in slightly different directions.
Using Less Film: The Lever People Overlook
The greenest film is the film you do not use. Reducing how much film goes onto each pallet cuts plastic and cost at the same time, and it is often the biggest available saving.
Several things reduce film per pallet without loads failing:
- Stretch the film further. Film applied with more stretch covers the same load in fewer metres. This is the single biggest lever, and a dispenser gives more consistent stretch than wrapping loosely by hand.
- Do not over-wrap stable loads. Using more passes than a load needs, out of habit, wastes film. Use what the load requires.
- Match thickness to the load. The right thickness holds a load in fewer passes than a too-thin film you have to over-wrap to compensate.
- Wrap consistently. Trained, even wrapping uses less than rushed, uneven wrapping.
The limit is that reducing film only helps if loads still arrive intact. Cutting film to the point loads fail creates more waste and damage than it saves, so reduce to a secure margin, not beyond.
Recycling: Closing the Loop
Using recycled content and recycling used film are two halves of the same loop. Film that goes to soft-plastic recycling rather than general waste becomes the recycled content in future film.
For a business, this means collecting used pallet wrap separately, keeping it clean and dry, compacting or baling it, and handing it to a recycler that takes soft plastics. It is low effort where film waste already builds up in one place, and it diverts waste while feeding the recycled-content stream.
The UK Plastic Packaging Tax
For the full detail on how this applies to our range specifically, see our Plastic Packaging Tax guide.
If you are buying or importing plastic packaging in the UK, the Plastic Packaging Tax is relevant. It applies to plastic packaging that does not contain at least 30% recycled content, charged per tonne. The intent is to make recycled-content packaging the more sensible commercial choice.
Our film meeting the 30% or more recycled content threshold is directly relevant here, because it is the point at which packaging falls outside the tax on recycled-content grounds. If you are responsible for packaging compliance or cost, recycled content is not only an environmental figure but a tax one. Check the current rules and thresholds, as tax details can change, but the 30% recycled content figure is the number to know.
Claims to Treat With Caution
Sustainability language in packaging is full of vague claims, so it pays to be sceptical.
“Biodegradable” and “compostable” are not the same thing and often do not mean what buyers assume. Standard polyethylene stretch film is not biodegradable in any normal sense, and films marketed as degradable can create their own problems in recycling streams. Treat these claims carefully and ask what standard they are certified to.
“Eco-friendly” with no figure means little. A meaningful claim has a number behind it, like a stated recycled-content percentage. A label with no measurable figure is marketing, not evidence.
The honest position is that stretch film has an impact, and the credible ways to reduce it are recycled content, using less, and recycling, all of which are measurable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes stretch film more environmentally friendly?
Recycled content, using less film per pallet, and recycling used film. These are measurable and genuinely reduce impact. Vague “eco” claims with no figures behind them do not.
How much recycled content does your film have?
Our film contains 30% or more recycled content, meaning at least a third of the material is reprocessed rather than new. It can also be recycled again after use.
Does recycled content affect film performance or clarity?
Recycled content makes film very slightly less clear than film made entirely from new plastic. Our clear film is still clear enough to see products and labels. Holding and stretch are not meaningfully reduced by the recycled content.
What is the UK Plastic Packaging Tax?
It is a tax on plastic packaging that contains less than 30% recycled content, charged per tonne. Film meeting the 30% threshold falls outside the tax on that basis. Check current rules, as details can change.
Is biodegradable stretch film better for the environment?
Not necessarily. Standard polyethylene film is not biodegradable, and films marketed as degradable can cause problems in recycling. Treat these claims with caution and check what standard they meet.
Conclusion
New to buying stretch wrap? The Complete Guide to Stretch Wrap Film covers hand vs machine film, cast vs blown, and how to choose between them.
Reducing the impact of stretch film comes down to three measurable things: use film with recycled content, use less film per pallet, and recycle what you use. Our film’s 30% or more recycled content covers the first and keeps it outside the Plastic Packaging Tax on that basis, while stretching film further and wrapping consistently cut how much you use. Be wary of vague “eco-friendly” or “biodegradable” claims with no figures behind them, and focus on the levers you can actually measure.