DairyNZ posts these magazines in a 100% degradable (not biodegradable) plastic wrap to protect them from the elements. The plastic wrap is manufactured in New Zealand and has a recycle code of 4 LDPE (low-density polyethylene), meaning it is acceptable for soft plastic recycling through participating stores, such as supermarkets. You can find your nearest collection centre at recycling.kiwi.nz/solutions/soft-plastics

Also, you may be able to include the wrap in your household recycling. Check out www.recycle.co.nz to see if your local council can accept this plastic wrap.

Like you, DairyNZ is concerned about the materials we use and we’re looking at moving away from plastic in the long term. We’re considering several non-plastic options but they come with their own difficulties. For example, a paper envelope won’t offer protection against rain, so magazines will go soggy if left sitting in a wet letterbox. Also, the adhesives used with envelope labels are an environmental consideration, and many window envelopes contain plastic. We’d love to hear about any non-plastic posting options you’ve seen that might work for us. Email insidedairy@dairynz.co.nz