Shakespeare introduces a biodegradable solution to standard trimmer line
Shakespeare Company has introduced a new trimmer line that is not only more durable than its current professional line, but is also more environmentally friendly.
The new Shakespeare Impact trimmer line is made from a proprietary blend of materials that is engineered to biodegrade up to 30 times faster than a conventional trimmer line in an anaerobic landfill (24% biodegradation within 1 year via ASTM D5511 testing method), the company reports.
“Consumer testing revealed that in general [consumers] simply don’t believe a trimmer line can be both extremely durable and more environmentally friendly, but these next generation trimmer lines have been engineered to facilitate the start of that trend,” says Brian Thielbar, consumer products business manager at Shakespeare. “It isn’t 100% biodegradable, but we are working toward getting as close as we can,” he adds.
The new trimmer line is also 20% more durable than Shakespeare’s current professional grade line. In addition, the line’s twisted design provides the added benefit of up to 15% longer runtime when compared to non-twist trimmer lines. Together, the company states, this means the new trimmer line allows for reduced material consumption by the end-user, as well as reduced overall energy consumption.
“It’s a major breakthrough for the outdoor power equipment industry to have a trimmer line that is not only biodegradable but also more durable than our current professional grade line,” says Thielbar.
The company notes that the stated rate and extent of degradation do not mean the product will continue to decompose. In addition, trimmer line remnants left in the yard may not necessarily experience this same level of biodegradation.
The new Shakespeare Impact trimmer lines are now available in retail stores under the brand names Shakespeare, Rhino-Tuff and Weed Warrior. The new trimmer lines are not for sale in California, Maryland, Michigan and Washington.
