Biodegradable vs Recyclable Shrink Wrap: Which Is Better for Construction Sites?
- Lee James
- Nov 7, 2025
- 4 min read
Sustainability in construction materials is no longer optional, it’s becoming a procurement requirement.
As carbon targets tighten and waste reporting improves, many contractors are asking a practical question:
Should we be using biodegradable shrink wrap or recyclable LDPE for temporary site protection?
Both are often marketed as 'greener” alternatives to traditional plastic wrap. But they solve different problems... and increasingly, biodegradable shrink wrap offers a clearer pathway to reducing long-term plastic pollution on live construction sites.
This article breaks down the differences so you can make informed decisions that stand up to client scrutiny and real-world site conditions.
What Is Biodegradable Shrink Wrap?
Biodegradable shrink wrap (such as EcoShrink’s BioShrink range) is engineered to break down naturally over time through microbial activity, rather than persisting indefinitely in the environment.
Unlike conventional plastics, biodegradable films are designed with end-of-life in mind from the outset.
Key Benefits:
🌱 Designed to disappear, not accumulate
If biodegradable wrap escapes collection or enters landfill, it will degrade rather than remaining as plastic waste for decades.
🌱 Reduces long-term environmental risk
Construction sites are high-loss environments. Films tear, blow away, or become contaminated. Biodegradable materials dramatically reduce the impact of these unavoidable losses.
🌱 Simpler sustainability story
Rather than relying on perfect segregation and specialist recycling routes, biodegradable wrap provides a built-in safety net.
🌱 Aligns with future regulation
As pressure increases on single-use plastics, biodegradable materials are better positioned to meet emerging environmental expectations.
In short: biodegradable shrink wrap directly addresses the biggest weakness in construction plastics - what happens when recovery fails. Human error. oversight will forever be the largest contributor towards the failures in the recycling chain.
What Is Recyclable LDPE Shrink Wrap?
Recyclable LDPE wrap is made from standard low-density polyethylene and may include recycled content. In theory, it can be collected, processed, and turned back into usable plastic.
Benefits
Supports circular economy models
Can reduce demand for virgin plastic resin
Familiar performance characteristics
Limitations in Practice
Despite good intentions, recycling on construction sites remains inconsistent.
Clean film segregation is difficult. Wrap is often contaminated with tape, timber dust, or debris. Collection infrastructure varies widely by region. Even when films are technically recyclable, many still end up in general waste.
Recyclable LDPE relies heavily on perfect behaviour and perfect logistics - conditions that rarely exist on busy sites.
The Key Difference: Waste Prevention vs Waste Management
This is the most important distinction.
Recyclable LDPE focuses on managing plastic after it exists.
Biodegradable wrap focuses on preventing long-term plastic pollution even when recovery fails.
On paper, recycling sounds ideal.
On real construction sites, biodegradable materials provide a more resilient and realistic environmental safeguard.
Which Is Better for Construction Sites?
For temporary protection applications such as scaffold wrapping, modular enclosure, and weatherproofing:
👉 Biodegradable shrink wrap offers the clearer sustainability advantage.
Why?
✅ It doesn’t rely on perfect site behaviour
Even with best intentions, some wrap will always be lost or contaminated.
✅ It reduces environmental persistence
Biodegradable films won’t remain in soil or landfill for generations.
✅ It simplifies compliance
Clients increasingly want solutions that reduce risk, not ones that depend on complex recovery systems.
✅ It aligns with future sustainability standards
The industry is moving toward materials that are designed to disappear responsibly.
Recyclable LDPE still has a role — particularly where controlled recovery systems exist — but biodegradable wrap represents a more forward-looking solution for most live construction environments.
Practical Questions Contractors Should Ask Suppliers
When assessing “green” shrink wrap options, ask:
Material Claims
Is the wrap biodegradable, recyclable, or both?
What certifications or test standards support these claims?
Site Performance
Does it meet wind load, weathering, and fire requirements?
Are there limitations on exposure or application?
End-of-Life Reality
What happens if the wrap is contaminated or lost?
Does the material biodegrade without specialist processing?
Procurement Evidence
Are technical data sheets available?
Can sustainability claims be supported during tender reviews?
Clear answers matter more than marketing language.
Where Sustainable Construction Wrap Is Heading
A realistic pathway looks like this:
Short Term
Adopt biodegradable shrink wrap for temporary protection
Reduce reliance on recovery-dependent materials
Improve site awareness around material choice
Medium Term
Increased use of certified biodegradable systems
Greater client focus on real environmental outcomes, not theoretical recyclability
Long Term
Industry shift toward materials designed for responsible end-of-life by default
EcoShrink’s focus is simple: provide practical protection systems that reduce environmental impact without adding complexity to site operations.
Summary
Recyclable LDPE depends on recovery systems that often fail on construction sites.
Biodegradable shrink wrap is designed to reduce long-term plastic pollution even when wrap is lost or contaminated.
For temporary construction protection, biodegradable solutions offer a more robust and future-proof sustainability pathway.
As sustainability expectations rise, material choices must reflect real site conditions — not ideal scenarios.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is biodegradable shrink wrap better than recyclable wrap for construction?
For most construction sites, biodegradable shrink wrap offers clearer environmental benefits because it reduces long-term plastic pollution even when material recovery fails.
Does biodegradable shrink wrap perform like standard LDPE?
Modern biodegradable shrink wraps are designed to meet the same weather protection, strength and installation requirements as conventional construction wrap, provided they meet relevant fire and performance standards.
Can biodegradable shrink wrap be used for scaffold encapsulation?
Yes, biodegradable shrink wrap can be used for scaffold and modular protection where it meets project-specific performance and compliance requirements.
Why not just rely on recyclable shrink wrap?
Recyclable wrap depends on clean segregation and specialist recycling routes, which are inconsistent across many live construction sites.
