With the world being more and more conscious of our environment and doing what we can to help; sustainable packaging is more talked about than ever before.
Many of our customers ask if their labels are recyclable which unfortunately isn’t a straight forward yes or no answer. Every label is different and use different materials, adhesives and backing to stick to their desired product.
Recycling isn’t straight forward either as some recycling facilities have different capabilities which is why recyclable products are graded 1 to 7. The different types of plastics and how they are graded are as follows:
Some materials used require a one-time use, or the combination of materials used makes it impractical to recycle. In addition to this the inks used on the label or the adhesive may not be able to be reclaimed due to the small quantities used.
With all labels, it can’t make up too much of the packaging as it could interfere with the recycling process. There are many factors to consider when asking ‘is my label recyclable’.
If a paper label is stick onto cardboard, the paper is deemed to be recyclable. Inks and adhesive would be classed as contaminants in the recycling process so would be removed along the way.
PET labels can be recycled when applied to a PET product, however the overall mix of the material could result in reduced quality of the recycled product pushing it further down the recycling chain. Using a washable adhesive is important in making this material recyclable.
The inks and adhesive used on the labels can enter the recycling sream but they will be removed from the label as they are not able to be extracted for re-use.
Our wineglass labels are now 100% recyclable after working with our supplier to come up with a sustainable version for the netted fruit and veg bag labels. You will see these wineglass labels in the supermarkets; they look like this:
Whilst the recyclable version we have is not at the top end of the recycling chain, it is still recyclable nevertheless, making it more environmentally friendly than anything out in the current market for this label type. Read more about our wineglass labels here.
Our team are always working towards more sustainable labels and our reps are at the end of the phone should have any questions about the labels which you order and what we can do to make them more environmentally friendly.
Call us for further info 01277 364964 or email us info@labelnet.co.uk.