How Avery Dennison Contributes to Plastic Circularity

HDPE Recycling: How Avery Dennison Contributes to Plastic Circularity

The importance of plastic recycling in a globally sustainable economy has never been more pressing. As a frontrunner in the world of sustainable packaging solutions, Avery Dennison has undertaken an ambitious commitment to ensure that its labeling solutions do not hinder the recycling of HDPE packaging.

New scientific evidence proves recycling-friendly labeling solutions - A step ahead in the pursuit of a circular economy

In a recent semi-industrial trial initiated by Avery Dennison and performed by The National Test Center for Circular Plastics (NTCP), compelling evidence was presented that demonstrated Avery Dennison's standard adhesion filmic label solutions for Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) applications can be fully released from HDPE packaging during the recycling process, even under cold washing conditions.

This significant finding, which involved testing 50,000 white HDPE bottles with different combinations of filmic face materials and emulsion adhesives, indicates that Avery Dennison's adhesive solutions promote the recyclability of HDPE, thereby contributing towards a more circular economy.

The results of this trial not only challenge the widely held belief that self-adhesive labels do not separate from HDPE packaging and therefore obstruct the recycling process, but also confirm that our standard adhesion filmic label solutions are already compatible with existing recycling procedures.

Our products show outstanding performance by separating from the HDPE packaging during the recycling process, generating clean HDPE flakes ready for the next life. These findings highlight the potential for recycling associations and regulatory bodies to revise their existing design for recycling guidelines for HDPE decoration.

A call to action for a sustainable future

The results from this semi-industrial trial underscore Avery Dennison's commitment to forging a path towards a more circular plastic economy. Alena Maran, Director of Strategy and Sustainability at Avery Dennison, EMEA, emphasizes that "Until now, we did not have fact-based evidence that showed how our labels react during the multiple steps in the recycling process. We can now clearly see that the requirements in existing design for recycling guidelines and test protocols for wash-off labels are not necessarily representative of the full-scale HDPE recycling process.”

By focusing on the importance of plastic circularity and ensuring that its adhesives contribute to a sustainable economy, Avery Dennison is creating viable, scalable solutions for the future of our planet.

Would you like to discover how you can start making a sustainable impact? Contact Avery Dennison today. We have solutions that reduce the use of raw materials, contain recycled or renewable content, enable recycling reuse or compostability, and are responsibly sourced. Learn more from our Sustainability page.

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