In partnership with Smart Plastic Technologies, Sigma Stretch announced this week that it is expanding production of Sigma Stretch Vanish, powered by SPTek Eclipse bio-assimilation technology, to all five production facilities across North America. The stretch film was initially launched in late 2021, when it was provided to select Sigma Stretch distributors. Interest among brand owners wanting to adopt the film to help achieve their sustainability goals was such that the company decided to significantly boost production.

SPTek Eclipse–enabled stretch film is designed to be recycled. However, if it does not enter the recycling stream, it will completely bio-assimilate within six to 24 months following its guaranteed two-year functional life span, resulting in zero microplastics, said Sigma Stretch.

“Bio-assimilation is the final and conclusive stage of biodegradation, where microorganisms can convert the material into CO₂, water, and biomass,” Sigma Stretch told PlasticsToday. “Zero non-bio-assimilable microplastic fragments are left behind.” The ideal environmental conditions for full bio-simulation include high UV exposure, heat, humidity, and the presence of micro-organisms, the company added.

Efficacy and performance testing reportedly determined that Eclipse-enabled stretch film performed identically to other hand and machine stretch films.

“We evaluated numerous products to provide an option for our customers that would take care of any of our products that were not properly recycled and leaked into the environment,” said Mark Teo, CEO and President of Sigma Plastics, in a prepared statement. “We selected Smart Plastic and its patent-pending SPTek Eclipse bio-assimilation technology because it proved best-in-class. Expanding production and taking our partnership with Smart Plastic to new levels will be a tremendous highlight of 2022 for Sigma Plastics as we continue striving for environmentally responsible products and practices.”

Added Jay Tapp, President and COO of Smart Plastic Technologies: Despite the impact of COVID-19, we built a strong partnership with Sigma Stretch, successfully launching Eclipse Stretch Film at Pack Expo 2021 in Las Vegas, and presenting at the 2021 AMI Stretch & Shrink Conference on the impact of plastic waste and closed-loop recycling. We are thrilled that the initial response has ignited a need for production expansion and look forward to continuing our work with Sigma Stretch throughout 2022.”

The initial launch produced more than 500,000 pounds of stretch film, which was allocated to various Sigma Stretch distributors. With the production expansion, Sigma Stretch estimates that an additional 30 million pounds of Sigma Stretch Vanish will be available for distributors throughout 2022.