Methods and compositions for improved oxygen scavenging

A method of scavenging oxygen by a composition in the form of a film or packaging material comprising:

• forming a composition comprising a mixture of
• (a) at least one copolymer comprising units formed from (i) ethylene and (ii) at least one vinyl unsaturated alicylic monomer represented by the formula:
• ##STR4## wherein ##STR5## represents an unsubstituted or substituted C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 non-aromatic ethylenic unsaturated alicyclic group, said copolymer having units formed from said at least one vinyl unsaturated alicyclic monomer in from 1 to 35 mole percent of said copolymer, having long chain branches of at least 6 carbon atoms present in an amount to cause said copolymer to have a melt flow index ratio (I.sub.10 /I.sub.2) of at least about 8, and having a polydispersity (Mw/Mn) of about 1.5 to 5;
• and
• (b) a transition metal catalyst;
• shaping the formed composition to form at least part of a packaging material or film;
• and
• exposing the package material or film to actinic radiation having a wavelength of between 200 and 750 nm or to electron beam radiation of at least about 2 kilo Gray.