Recycling Friendly Label Adhesives from
BASF
BASF has developed new adhesives for labels that no longer interfere with paper and paperboard recycling
BASF has achieved a breakthrough in the development of adhesives that do not interfere with the recycling of transport boxes, such as paperboard and cardboard boxes with paper labels coated with Acronal RCF 3705 or Acronal RCF 3706. Both adhesives have been certified by “Papiertechnische Stiftung” (PTS) for this property.
PTS is a German research and service organization that assists businesses of all sizes in developing and implementing modern fiber-based solutions. Paper and cardboard packaging are subjected to material testing at the institute.
“As we work to achieve worldwide climate neutrality, greater circularity and more effective recycling are a must. By developing the recycling friendly adhesives Acronal RCF 3705 and Acronal RCF 3706, BASF has made a decisive contribution towards more sustainable labeling, for example in the logistics sector,” said Uwe Düsterwald, Project Manager, Sustainability in Adhesives, BASF.
Logistics, in addition to the automotive and food industries, is another sector where pressure-sensitive labels are in high demand. Transport labels have accounted for the fastest-growing segment of the market for several years.
This is confirmed by Alexander Watson Associates (AWA) Market Reports such as “European Labeling and Product Decoration 2017” and the “Global Annual Review Labeling and Product Decoration 2020”. This trend has been bolstered by the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, which has resulted in a rapid increase in e-commerce and mail-order sales, which now account for nearly 15% of all label demand in Europe.
These ground-breaking adhesives address a major issue in the recycling of paper and cardboard packaging. While most paper label adhesives interfere with the recycling process, the newly developed adhesives are easy to remove early in the process, allowing recycled paper or paperboard packaging to be reused and printed without further issues.
This solution reaffirms BASF’s commitment to achieving a sustainable circular economy as set forth in the European Union’s Green Deal. By passing the Green Deal, the EU sets the objective of achieving climate neutrality in industry and society by 2050.
To help reach this target, BASF became a founding member of the cross-industry coalition CELAB (Toward a Circular Economy for Labels) in 2020. The global network is working on solutions to reduce the environmental impact of the labeling industry and to promote a circular economy for self-adhesive labels in all industries.
As Thomas Schiele, Vice President Adhesives, Fiber Bonding and Paper Coating Chemicals at BASF, pointed out, “The constantly growing demand for packaging has made its recyclability a key issue for the packaging industry. Steps need to be taken, not only with respect to the packaging materials, but also the adhesives that are being used. Our innovative adhesive technologies open up completely new possibilities for a working circular economy, both in the packaging industry as well as in many other sectors.
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