A Dual Solution: New Industrial Film Tackles Plastic Waste by Biodegrading in Landfills

ALSIP, Ill. – June 02, 2026 – In a significant step toward mitigating industrial plastic pollution, corrosion prevention specialist Daubert Cromwell has launched a groundbreaking packaging material designed to disappear. The company today unveiled its Daubert VCI Films with BioNatur®, a product it heralds as the world’s first VCI film that is both 100% recyclable and engineered to biodegrade in common landfill environments.

This innovation directly confronts a persistent challenge in global supply chains. Volatile Corrosion Inhibitor (VCI) films are indispensable for protecting high-value metal parts—from automotive components to aerospace hardware—from rust and oxidation during shipping and storage. Yet, this essential protection comes at an environmental cost. Despite recycling efforts, over 95% of flexible plastic packaging ends up in landfills, where it can persist for centuries. Daubert Cromwell's new film offers a tangible solution to this dilemma, promising to protect both metal parts and the planet.

A Dual Pathway to Sustainability

The core of the innovation lies in its unique “dual-pathway” end-of-life design, which provides manufacturers unprecedented flexibility in meeting sustainability targets. This approach acknowledges the varied and often imperfect realities of global waste management.

The first pathway is conventional recycling. The films can be collected and processed alongside other polyethylene-based products, feeding into the circular economy without requiring special sorting or handling. This is a critical feature, as it leverages existing recycling infrastructure.

The second, more revolutionary pathway is anaerobic biodegradation. If the film is discarded and sent to a landfill—the fate of most industrial plastics—the embedded BioNatur® technology kicks in. In the oxygen-free environment of a typical landfill, the film is designed to break down naturally into water, gases, and inert soil, leaving no harmful microplastics behind.

“Daubert Cromwell is proud to introduce Daubert VCI Films with BioNatur — a truly groundbreaking solution that uniquely combines 100% recyclability with natural biodegradation in anaerobic environments, including most landfills,” said Karen Clements, Director of Marketing. “This innovative approach allows companies to confidently do the right thing for the environment, ensuring their used films either break down into water and soil or are seamlessly recycled — without compromising the corrosion protection their metal parts depend on throughout manufacture, storage, and shipment.”

The Science of Disappearance

Developed in partnership with BioNatur Plastics, the technology behind the film represents a significant leap past previous generations of “degradable” plastics that often created more problems than they solved. Unlike oxo-degradable plastics, which were widely criticized and are now banned in the EU for simply fragmenting into microplastics, this new film undergoes true biodegradation.

The process is enabled by a proprietary organic additive integrated into the polyethylene during manufacturing. This additive acts as a beacon for microorganisms naturally present in anaerobic environments, encouraging them to consume the plastic as a food source. The result is a complete breakdown of the polymer chains into natural, harmless components.

This method also distinguishes the film from compostable plastics, which require the high temperatures and specific microbial conditions of industrial composting facilities—a disposal route rarely available for industrial waste streams. The BioNatur® technology is specifically tailored for the conditions found in the vast majority of municipal and industrial landfills.

To validate these claims, the material has undergone rigorous testing. According to the company, testing under the ASTM D5511 standard—which simulates anaerobic landfill conditions—demonstrated 99.7% biodegradation in under five years. Furthermore, the biogases produced during this process, primarily methane, can be captured by modern landfill gas-to-energy systems, turning plastic waste into a source of renewable power.

The Business Case: Performance Without Compromise

For manufacturers and supply chain managers, the most compelling aspect of this innovation may be the claim of zero trade-offs. Daubert Cromwell asserts that the new films perform identically to their traditional VCI counterparts across all critical metrics, including tensile strength, tear resistance, shelf life, and, most importantly, corrosion inhibition efficacy. The VCI chemistry, which emits a protective molecular layer onto metal surfaces, remains fully effective, ensuring that parts arrive clean, dry, and ready for immediate use.

Crucially, the company also states that this sustainable solution comes without additional cost, removing a significant barrier that has historically hindered the adoption of green alternatives. This cost-neutral proposition allows companies in sectors like automotive, aerospace, and heavy equipment to meet increasingly stringent sustainability goals and navigate complex regulations, such as the EU Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste, without impacting their bottom line or operational efficiency.

Industry analysts note that innovations offering practical, drop-in solutions without performance or cost penalties have the highest potential for rapid and widespread adoption. As corporations face mounting pressure from investors, consumers, and regulators to reduce their environmental footprint, packaging has become a key area of focus. This biodegradable and recyclable film provides a verifiable, documented path for manufacturers to reduce plastic impact across their operations.

This launch sets a new benchmark for responsible corrosion protection. By embedding a clear and effective end-of-life solution directly into a critical industrial product, Daubert Cromwell is offering a seamless transition for industries that depend on VCI technology. This innovation provides a pathway to packaging that protects high-value metal parts with proven performance, while also safeguarding the environment for future generations.