** Update - September 2018 **

We have now sourced a suitable wrapper from the magazine made from 100% potato starch which claims to break down in a domestic compost heap. We are keen to find out if this really is the case, and if there is any additional advice we can offer to help members compost it quicker. We are composting several of the wrappers here and would love to hear how you get on composting yours. Please let us know by email to [email protected]. We will keep you updated on how we get on.

You can read the original information below.

As an organisation we aim to keep our use of non-renewable resources, such as plastic, as low as possible in accordance with our Principles of Organic Gardening. It’s for this reason that we always have to make a tricky decision when finalising the mailing of our members’ magazine, The Organic Way.

Sending out information such as the invitation to the Annual General Meeting and the latest edition of The Organic Gardening Catalogue is an important part of our communication to you, but it means that we have to send the magazine in an outer wrapping, which in this instance is LDPE plastic.

The obvious alternative would be to use a paper envelope, however often the size of the envelope and the quantity mailed means that any improvements through easier recycling may be offset by the carbon footprint of the additional weight.

We are currently investigating options to move towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly solution. However in the meantime you can recycle the polywrap from the latest edition by sending it to www.polyprint.co.uk/recycling, where they have the facilities to recycle LDPE plastics along with many other plastics not widely recycled elsewhere. Full details on what you can send and how to send it can be found via the link above.

If you are going to send it to Polyprint, we would recommend collecting up suitable plastic over a period of time and sending it in one go. A central collection at your local gardening club or allotment site offers a great way to recycle as much as possible with minimal further impact on the environment. If you live near Ryton we will be collecting them at the main reception and sending them on, along with the polywraps from other magazines we receive, so please feel free to drop it in.

Alternatively, we know our members are both imaginative and resourceful, so if you have found an alternative use for your polywrap, please let us know by emailing: [email protected]
For general advice on plastic in the garden, please visit https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/plastics-garden