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wrapper which the magazine comes in

Posted: Fri Nov 29, 2019 12:35 pm
by Daveswife
Does KG have any plans to replace their magazine packaging with something compostable?

Forgive me if this question has already been addressed elsewhere on the forum or in the magazine - if so I have missed it.

The reason I ask the question is that most of magazines which we subscribe to are nowadays received in a compostable outer, a couple of which say they are made from potato starch. Another is delivered in a paper envelope which can go into recycling. However the Kitchen Garden magazine is still delivered in what appears to be non-recyclable plastic.

However, it is not the end of the world because I re-use your packaging for various things, storing craft bits and bobs, keeping the recipes I cut out from newspapers, keeping documents clean, etc and - yuck - picking up badger and fox poo from the lawn.

Re: wrapper which the magazine comes in

Posted: Fri Nov 29, 2019 10:04 pm
by Stephen
This question has come up in the car club of which I am a member. These are the comments:-

Potato starch wrap is great stuff but it comes with its own issues and the printers we use have a close involvement with one of the biggest users of biodegradable wrappers so we have been getting good advice.
1. It gets chewed-up by mailing machines, and the printed addresses are sometimes illegible. This increases the failed delivery/return rate.
2. It has a short shelf-life (the damn stuff rots)… so you can only order enough to fulfill two months worth (or less) of magazine distribution.
3. It costs almost double when compared with polywrap (LDPE). It is however, far cheaper than a paper envelope which doesn't lend itself to a mechanical process.

Theoretically low density polyethelyne is 100% recyclable, IF your local council or other organisation arranges this; many don't because there is so little mass in each one. Your best bet is probably a supermarket which takes carrier bags back.

Re: wrapper which the magazine comes in

Posted: Sat Nov 30, 2019 8:57 am
by Primrose
I did enquire of Kitxhen Garden a while back when I started receiving my National Trust communications in compostable wrappers. I seem to recall the response was that it would be too expensive and not viable for the relatively small numbers of magazines which were issued by post.

Re: wrapper which the magazine comes in

Posted: Sat Nov 30, 2019 3:55 pm
by Stephen
I am wrong about machine management of paper envelopes. Machines can do this.

Re: wrapper which the magazine comes in

Posted: Sat Nov 30, 2019 4:51 pm
by Geoff
Until your first post I was wondering why nobody uses simple paper envelopes apart from plastic being waterproof, now I am more confused seems like the simple recycle/compost solution.

Re: wrapper which the magazine comes in

Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2019 11:15 am
by Daveswife
So it's down to practicality and cost - thanks Stephen for such an honest reply. If I haven't used the plastic wrappers for picking up fox and badger poo, storing my craft bits (currently a stack of hand made cards), I put them in with other plastic bags for recycling. For example, Ocado take their bags back and refund the 5p, and also take anybody else's plastic bags and other re-cyclable wrappers.

Re: wrapper which the magazine comes in

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2019 2:20 pm
by Stephen
Curiously Daveswife, I find it odd that people put excrement into plastic bags. I know that a carnivorous diet doesn't produce good stuff but it will rot down and be absorbed into the soil. I also know that fox poo smells utterly disgusting. But bunging it into plastic means it can only go into landfill.
(I want it cleaned away from parks and urban environments - don't worry about that).

Re: wrapper which the magazine comes in

Posted: Sun Dec 08, 2019 10:16 pm
by Daveswife
Thanks for helping to identify the source of our "lawn poo", which I dispose of where it will rot.

Re: wrapper which the magazine comes in

Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2019 12:26 pm
by KG Steve
Hi Guys
Yes we are always checking on the situation regarding wrappings for KG and I would agree with lots of Stephen's comments below. Potato starch bags have too short a shelf life since we would have to buy in bulk to get the price we would need to make it viable. Also I believe they compost only very slowly in a home compost bin and release lots of methane as they do.

Our current bags can be recycled at supermarkets who collect plastic bags and we are looking at some new developments which I am hopeful could help with this problem at some stage in the near future. I'll be sure to keep you informed.

Re: wrapper which the magazine comes in

Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2019 9:01 pm
by Stephen
It is well worth pointing out that each covering is <5g of LDPE.
The production of low-density polyethylene in 2016 was 20.9 million tons.
However, small steps in the right direction still have value.

Re: wrapper which the magazine comes in

Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2019 4:58 pm
by Colin2016
Is there a need to wrap the magazine apart from enclosing the seeds & flyers?

I get catalogues from seed supplies through the post without any extra wrapping some have small sticky label to keep book shut.

Flyers could be printed in the mag, perhaps fold a page over to make pockets for seeds.