6 Ways ARMOR Goes Green

Armor illustration

As a company, Armor Protective Packaging® is working hard to manufacture rust prevention packaging that is clean, safe and easy and just as hard to be an outstanding steward to our beautiful earth. We’re not claiming to have the “silver bullet” to save the environment, there is a long way to go for that, for all of us. What we are saying is that as a company, ARMOR wants to be part of the solution.  

These days, there is so much talk on the environment and terms like “green” and “sustainable” are thrown around without explanation – it can all be quite confusing.  At ARMOR, we want to be candidly clear, so we outlined 6 ways ARMOR goes green.

1. ARMOR PRODUCTS ARE RECYCLABLE

Recycling is one of the best ways to positively impact our environment and our human race. Recycling helps to reduce the pollution caused by waste and reduces the need for raw materials to be used. Huge amounts of energy are needed when making products from raw materials, while recycling requires much less energy and therefore preserves our natural resources. When finished using an ARMOR film or paper, recycle it!

2. RECYCLED CONTENT IS MONEY WELL SPENT

ARMOR utilizes recycled content in our products whenever possible, and we do it without sacrificing their integrity or performance. As recycled resins continue to improve in cleanliness and recycling continues to gain more ground each year, utilizing recycled resin content makes enormous sense.

Since 2020, every formulation of ARMOR POLY® VCI film that is feasible contains a minimum of 30% recycled content (excluding those VCI films with heat shrink, UV and HD).  The recycled content is comprised of post-industrial recycled materials, which are waste materials (such as scrap, trimmings, overruns) that are created during the original manufacturing process and are later reused to create new material.  These are the same films we use for our VCI (vapor corrosion inhibitor) poly bags, sheeting and bonnets.  

Recycling 1 ton of paper (such as ARMOR WRAP® VCI paper) saves 17 mature trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, 2 barrels of oil and the energy equivalent of 165 gallons of gasoline.

3. SOURCE REDUCTION SAVES OIL PRODUCTION

Source reduction is the number one recommendation of the United States EPA in their Hierarchy of Integrated Waste Management.  In loose terms, source reduction (also known as waste prevention) means reducing/eliminating waste before it is created, and it is often used to describe the changes that businesses undertake voluntarily to reduce the potential waste material associated with a product.  

In 2005, ARMOR was the first VCI manufacturer to use innovative engineering to bring multi-layer (co-extruded) films to the market with the debut of its DEFENDER™  film.  ARMOR’s DEFENDER is a three-layer film that positions VCI on the inside, closest to metal parts – a strategic placement that reduces the quantity of VCI resin needed (without reducing performance).  In addition, the DEFENDER’s middle and outer layers are constructed for superior barrier protection and durability and the result is a VCI film with 50 percent more barrier protection than comparable single-layer films allowing it to be down-gauged by 25-30% for savings in cost and resources.

4. THE BIODEGRADABLE FABLE

ARMOR is optimistic that biodegradable plastics will become a viable option in the future, but the current industry and selection are just not there yet. Manufacturers who claim to make biodegradable or compostable plastics are often “greenwashing” – a marketing technique designed to falsely give the impression that a company is doing more to protect the environment than it really is.  Many times, a company or organization is spending more time/money promoting it’s eco- or environmentally-friendly status than actually being eco- or environmentally friendly.

The terms biodegradable or compostable plastic lead people to think these films actually degrade and it promotes a ‘single use’ mentality.  In reality, biodegradable polymer-based films require high temperature and sunlight to biodegrade, and these conditions are unrealistic given the current waste and composting systems.  In addition, most of these “biodegradable” films are still made from petrochemicals with additional chemicals added to cause the plastic to break down to smaller pieces (if exposed to the right conditions) making them difficult to recycle.  If these films enter the ocean, the smaller plastic pieces are easy to ingest and pose a serious threat to any wildlife and organisms that consume them.  

5. PAPER – OUR RENEWABLE RESOURCE

ARMOR WRAP® VCI papers are both renewable and sustainable.  Paper is a renewable resource (meaning it can be regenerated) made from wood, a natural resource that is renewable and recyclable.  Over 2.5 billion trees are planted in the USA alone each year (millions more grow from seeds and sprout naturally).  

Paper sustainability in the U.S. has increased due to the use of renewable biomass and advances in papermaking technology.  In 2012, more than 65% of the paper used in the U.S.  was recovered for recycling, and in 2014, studies showed that 67% of U.S. pulp and paper mills’ energy needs were provided by renewable biomass and fuels.

6. ARMOR’S GREEN THUMB

ARMOR is no “late comer” to the “green movement,” we have always upheld a strict standard that ARMOR rust prevention/rust removal products are clean, safe and easy or they aren’t ARMOR.  Whether it’s our rust-preventing VCI Nanotechnology™ (our “secret formula” for vapor corrosion inhibitors), or our innovative, water-based rust remover Metal Rescue®, ARMOR products eliminate the work, mess and hazards of RP oils, grease and solvent-based chemicals. ARMOR’s clean, safe and easy approach is good for people, good for the environment and just a good way to do business.