Yes they are! They are made from multiple layers of scientifically engineered barrier film laminated together. With all these layers combined, the material gets strength, stiffness, and rigidity so that it can stand erect on the store shelf. These layers also make the pouch strong and puncture resistant, so that pests cannot tear away into the packet.
This is the reason why stand up pouch bags do not break down with the action of air and sunlight. You can find plastic or foil pouches made with a single layer of material. Since they made with single layers, they aren’t very good against environmental forces.
Standup pouches are recyclable, which means they can be ground up to produce tiny pellets, called regrind. This regrind is used to make many plastic products like toys, dolls, picnic tables, and bumpers.
So, standup pouches are environmentally friendly because they can be recycled and turned into other products. But before you decide to throw them in the recycle bin, you can reuse them as they can be used to store other products - thanks to their special additions like zippers and spouts. And in case you decide to throw them in trash instead of the recycle bin, they are landfill friendly too. They don’t take up a lot of space there.