Why cellophane?

Research has shown that packaging accounts for about 30% of all solid waste by
weight. This staggering statistic climbs even higher--to about 34% by volume--when you
consider that hollow containers retain some of their volume after compression.
The increasing high cost of disposing solid waste has forced people to adopt new
methods which promote recycling and degradability. People are now developing more
environmentally-conscious ways of packaging consumer goods which utilize less
complex, more degradable materials. Cellophane packaging is an example of this new
technology.
Where did it begin?
Cellophane is the oldest transparent packaging product used to encase cookies, candies,
and nuts. First marketed in the United States in 1924, cellophane was the major packaging
film used until the 1960s. In the more environmentally-conscious market of today,
cellophane is returning in popularity. As cellophane is 100% biodegradable, it is seen as a
more earth-friendly alternative to existing wrappings. Cellophane also has an average water
vapor rating and excellent machinability and heat sealability, adding to its current popularity
in the food-wrapping market.
How is it made?
Unlike the man-made polymers in plastics, which are largely derived from petroleum,
cellophane is a natural polymer made from cellulose, a component of plants and trees.
Cellophane is not made from rainforest trees, but rather from trees farmed and harvested
specifically for cellophane production.

Cellophane is made by digesting wood and cotton pulps in a series of chemical baths
that remove impurities and break the long fiber chains in this raw material. Regenerated
as a clear, shiny film, with plasticizing chemicals added for flexibility, cellophane is still
comprised largely of crystalline cellulose molecules. This means that it can be broken
down by micro-organisms in the soil just as leaves and plants are.
How is it used?
Cellophane is considered a high-grade packaging material and is used for all types of
products including.
The storage of food, however, remains its primary use. Some food products that store
well in cellophane include baked goods, candies, nuts, dried fruits, spices, and cake
mixes. Cellophane is also a good choice for packaging greasy or oily products.
Is it earth-friendly?
Cellulose belongs to a class of compounds known in organic chemistry as
carbohydrates. The base unit of cellulose is the glucose molecule. Thousands of these
glucose molecules are brought together in the plant growth cycle to form long chains,
termed cellulose. These chains are in turn broken down in the production process to
form cellulose film used in either an uncoated or coated form in packaging.
When buried, uncoated cellulose film is generally found to degrade within 10 to 30 days;
PVDC-coated film is found to degrade in 90 to 120 days and nitrocellulose-coated
cellulose is found to degrade in 60 to 90 days.

Tests have shown that the average total time for complete bio-degradation of cellulose
film is from 28 to 60 days for uncoated products, and from 80 to 120 days for coated
cellulose products. In lake water, the rate of bio-degradation is 10 days for uncoated film
and 30 days for coated cellulose film. Even materials which are thought of as highly
degradable, like paper and green leaves, take longer to degrade than cellulose film
products. Conversely, plastics, polyvinyl chloride, polyethene, polyethlene terepthatlate,
and oriented-polypropylene show almost no sign of degradation after long periods of
burial.
Cellophane is made by dissolving plant fiber in alkali and carbon disulfide to create
something called viscose. The viscose is then reconverted to cellulose in cellophane
form after a sulfuric acid and sodium sulfate bath. The cellophane is further treated with
glycerol to make the dry cellophane less brittle. The cellophane may then be coated
with nitrocellulose or wax to make it impermeable to water vapor. A few nasty chemicals
in that process for example, high levels of carbon disulfide are toxic; affecting the
nervous
system.
However, given the amount of processing and nasties it takes to turn petro-chemicals;
i.e. chemicals derived from crude oil, into plastics and the damage those plastics do
long after having been discarded, it would seem to me that cellophane is probably still
better environmentally speaking. Stacked up against corn based plastic bags and
wraps,
the
better/worse
distinction
is
a
little
harder
to
discern.
Cellophane films and bags are readily available just run a query on the terms in your
favorite search engine to locate a stockist.