Sustainable pharma solutions - making the switch from PET30 to rPET30 liners

As one of our core values, sustainability is integral to what we do at Avery Dennison. By driving innovations that advance the circular economy, reduce the environmental impact of our operations, and enhance the livelihood of people and communities, we strive to impact sustainability positively. 

Our goal is to reduce Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 70% from our 2015 baseline by 2030, and we work with our supply chain to reduce our 2018 baseline Scope 3 GHG emissions by 30%, aiming for net zero emissions by 2050.  Additionally, we strive to have 100% of our standard-label products containing recycled or renewable content by 2030. 

With these goals in mind, we are consistently taking a closer look at the solutions we provide to industries like pharma, where patient safety comes first, and adapting label materials with recycled content can be more challenging. To accelerate the transition to more sustainable solutions in this industry, Avery Dennison is switching all products with our pharmaceutical adhesive S692NP on PET30 liner to rPET30 with 30% PCR (post consumer recycled). Among its key features and benefits are the following:

  • Material using 30% PCR from PET bottles

  • No impact on conversion or label dispensing process

  • There is no change to the outer sides of the film; only the core is made from recycled material

  • The silicone coating remains the same as for the standard, virgin PET30 grade

  • GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified 

We have worked with rPET liners in the food and personal care industries for over three years and are confident the product will meet the requirements of more demanding pharma applications. Most of our HPC and food segment applications successfully switched to rPET grades, making this product suitable for pharmaceutical applications. 

This initiative is not only well aligned with Avery Dennison’s goals of proactively identifying ways to improve pharmaceutical packaging footprints, but it is also on par with pharmaceutical companies seeking more sustainable packaging solutions. And while labels are considered a small part of packaging, rPET liners have plenty of environmental benefits and the potential to make significant changes. 

Moving our S692NP portfolio to rPET liner will bring savings in CO2 emissions and water use and help conserve 182700 liters of water while also reducing CO2 emissions by 120 tonnes annually. This change will allow us to minimize water usage by 5% (the equivalent of saving the annual drinking water for 32.3 people), reduce energy usage by 11% (the equivalent of saving the yearly electricity usage of 4.8 households), and lower fossil material usage by 30% (the equivalent of saving 59 barrels of oil). 

We are happy to work with you to find a sustainable packaging solution that helps your brand meet its sustainability goals. Please reach out to Benoit Jourde, Business Development Manager Pharmaceutical & Healthcare, for more information.

Moreover, we are proud to offer AD Circular—a program for recycling used filmic and paper label liners in European countries. With this program, we are implementing a new way to enable the recycling of labels and packaging (regardless of their origin) and advancing the use of recycled materials. The linear collection serves as a complementary service to amplify the impact of switching to rPET30 liners.

To learn more about AD Circular program please visit AD Circular.