An alternative to traditional polyethylene plastic, this new film is an environmentally friendly compostable wrap that breaks down in a household compost without leaving behind microplastics. The compostable film will prolong the shelf life of the product; however, it will do so without adding to long-term landfill waste. Made from a starch-based PLA that is derived from plant-based resources including non-GMO corn starch, it is 100 per cent compostable, breaking down naturally into CO2 and water. 

In addition, the wrap includes a PLU pre-printed on the film in compostable ink. It took two years of research and development to perfect. Luci Fass, product development specialist, explains that this feature allows the entire wrap to be discarded with backyard compost or in landfills without harming the environment. PLU stickers are commonly made of vinyl and plastic. This new wrap eliminates the need for the additional application. 

Each cucumber wrap contains 0.00436 lbs of plastic; this translates to the equivalent of 23-million plastic straws saved from landfill for every five million cucumbers wrapped in the compostable film. Cucumbers are packed in shrink wrap to significantly extend their life by minimizing evaporation. Through the compostable film, Nature Fresh Farms has found a packaging solution that can maintain the shelf life of the cucumber, while meeting the demands of more sustainable packaging alternatives. 

“The launch of the compostable wrap is a demonstration of our commitment to our consumers wants of reducing plastic usage,” says Matt Quiring, director of sales. “We are excited to be first to market with this initiative in North America and are hopeful this will start a trend with the industry while we continue to lead in sustainable packaging solutions.”

Source:  Nature Fresh Farms September 8, 2020 news release