Can plastic wrap be less evil?

by Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt Sailing News
My City has recently mandated three trash bins for home use: black can for landfill, blue can for general recycling, and green can for organic waste recycling. There’s a whole lot of thinking every time I throw stuff away, and I’ve noticed how the black can is now mostly packaging plastic.

We try hard to limit the plastic, yet I feel guilty at what we seemingly can’t eliminate. I guess it’s a good thing I’m in a warm weather climate as I suspect the sight of boats getting winterized with shrink wrap would make me really uncomfortable.

However, a company called bioaqualife is claiming their new product line, Biodegradable Boat and Construction Wrap, is a biodegradable and recyclable alternative. I have my doubts about any plastic wrap getting recycled, as I don’t believe it is occurring, but if this stuff can be tossed into a landfill without hurting the planet, then that would be progress.

Here are some of its claims:

• Breaks down into typical harmless landfill water + methane components.
• Natural component biodegradation: Thanks to bioaqualife’s revolutionary proprietary additive, the wrap undergoes biodegradation into natural components, avoiding the generation of harmful microplastics. This groundbreaking technology sets a new industry standard for environmentally friendly degradation.
• Biodegradability in any anaerobic condition: bioaqualife’s boat and construction wrap achieve biodegradation in any anaerobic condition, including backyard compost setups. This versatility provides an easy and affordable solution to waste management, empowering individuals to make a positive impact on the environment.
• Proven success in shrink-wrap applications: The effectiveness of bioaqualife’s boat and construction wrap has been rigorously tested and validated through its successful use by American Magic during the transportation of boats for the 37th America’s Cup.

Can plastic wrap be less evil? I don’t know, but here’s their website: https://www.bioaqualife.com/