Sustainability & life-cycle analysis

Reducing plastic at the source.

The most sustainable plastic is the plastic you never use. Solar Shrink's strength lets growers achieve conventional performance with up to a third less material — a reduction that flows straight through to carbon, fossil fuel and water.

Independent screening LCA

What a third less plastic delivers

A screening Life Cycle Analysis (COMPASS 2023.3, ISO 14040 methodology) compared Solar Shrink Ultra (1 mil MDO) against 1.5 mil conventional mulch film for the same field job. Solar Shrink did it with 14.84 lb of film versus 22.1 lb — about 33% less plastic — and impacts fell proportionally.

Impact category	1.5 mil conventional	Solar Shrink Ultra	Reduction
Plastic used (LLDPE)	22.1 lb (10.02 kg)	14.84 lb (6.73 kg)	−33%
Global warming potential	32.26 kg CO₂e	21.66 kg CO₂e	−10.6 kg CO₂e
Fossil fuel use	837.9 MJ	562.6 MJ	−275 MJ (≈0.045 bbl oil)
Water consumption (scarcity)	24.41 m³ world-eq	16.39 m³ world-eq	−8.0 m³ (≈2,118 gal)
Freshwater eutrophication	0.000111 kg PO₄e	0.0000747 kg PO₄e	−33%

Methodology & scope. Results are from a cradle-to-grave screening LCA using COMPASS 2023.3 industry-average LCI data, prepared in line with ISO 14040, comparing Solar Shrink Ultra to a 1.5 mil conventional film for an equivalent functional unit. Screening-LCA figures are intended for directional guidance; per ISO 14040, comparative assertions disclosed publicly should be supported by a third-party critical review. Actual results vary by product specification, region and end-of-life infrastructure.

Aligned with global guidance

Built for the FAO 6R hierarchy

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization frames sustainable plastic use around the 6R model — Refuse, Redesign, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover — with prevention as the preferred option, and endorses high-strength films that can be removed cleanly. Solar Shrink sits at the top of that hierarchy.

①

Reduce

Up to 33% less plastic per job — source reduction, the preferred step, not an end-of-life fix.

②

Redesign

Engineered strength so the film resists tearing and lifts intact for recovery.

③

Recycle

Cleanly retrieved, single-polymer film yields higher-quality recyclate than fragmented or multilayer alternatives.

FAO reference: fao.org — Plastics in Agriculture

A clear, honest position

Reduce and recover — not a degradable film

Solar Shrink is a plastic-reduction and clean-retrieval technology, not a biodegradable film. That is deliberate. The FAO hierarchy ranks Reduce, Reuse and Recycle above biodegradable substitution, which is best reserved for situations where film genuinely cannot be retrieved.

By starting stronger and finishing stronger, Solar Shrink keeps plastic out of the soil through clean removal and keeps material in the recycling loop — rather than relying on in-field breakdown.

Less plastic used, verified by screening LCA.
Clean machine retrieval reduces fragments and residues left in soil.
Single-polymer construction supports recyclability.
Premium UV stabilisers minimise end-of-season degradation, supporting the option to double-crop.