How many rolls of plastic cling film do you usually go through each year? Do you bin those food wraps after every single use? How about if I told you that I use less than a roll a year, would you believe me?
Cling film is primarily made of plastic to preserve food, and it currently can’t be recycled in the UK. Because of that and its material, I think we should ONLY use it when there is no other alternative.
Alternatives to cling film
- glass bowls with silicone/cotton cloth cover
- takeaway food containers with a lid (I never throw them away. Trust me! They’re very handy.)
- glass jars (I use the jam jars from the jams bought in the store)
- beeswax/soy wraps
- put the food in a bowl and cover the bowl with the right-size plate (It’s never too old school!)
If it can’t be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, resold, recycled, or composted, then it should be restricted, redesigned or removed from production.
Pete Seeger
Can cling film have multiple uses?
Absolutely! Just clean them properly and hang them to dry. I use cling film rarely. After each use, I would rinse and hang them to dry on my dish rack overnight. And next day, I’d check whether there is no hole in the wrap and if it’s in a usable condition. And I put them away in a takeaway container, and they’re ready to be used the next time.
Use cling film for non-food stuff
You can also use washed-and-dried cling film for non-food objects. For example:
- when painting the wall where some objects you can’t move, then wrap them with those reusable cling films to avoid paint getting on them.
- wrap your paintbrush with the film to prevent the brush from drying out
- wrap your liquid bottles with the film to avoid liquids spilling
What other usages of cling film can you think of? Feel free to leave comments below. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
Further reading: Ten tips to reduce your plastic waste
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