Sustainability and environmental consciousness are
good elements to be added to your business. It would not only depict your
concern for the planet but will also attract more customers to your brand. In
recent times, the recycling rate in UK homes has increased by around 45%. Thus
the country is surely recycling more, but is it recycling the labels? In this
article, we will try to find the different types of recycled labels.
It is to be remembered that all types of labels are
not recyclable. This is because various materials need various facilities for
recycling- while some labels require more specialized facilities, others can be
recycled quite easily.
Paper
Labels
If a paper is stuck to a corrugated package or a
cardboard, then it is typically considered to be recycled labels. Contaminated
elements like inks and adhesives are removed before the paper label is sent for
the recycling procedure.
Plastic
And Synthetic Labels
If they are attached to a bottle made with a similar
type of plastic like that of the label, then it is often considered to be recycle-labels. For example, if a
polypropylene label is attached to a polypropylene bottle, then it is
considered to be recyclable. Here too, the ink and adhesive would be removed
during the recycling process as contaminants.
Laminated
Labels
When the label laminate matches up with the overall
material, then the label can be considered as recyclable. However, if different
material is used with a laminated label, then it might not be recyclable. The
ink and the adhesive here would be removed as contaminants.
PET Label
The PET label is only recyclable when added to a PET
product so as to reclaim the PET material. However, due to this inclusion with
the overall material mix, it can result in reduced quality of the product that
has been recycled. It is to be ensured that the label’s density must be less
than 1 g per cubic cm.
Herein, it is very important to use wash-off
adhesives. This would ensure the recyclability of the PET products as the label
and the adhesives would be removed together. This would also ensure that the
overall recycling process is not disrupted.
Thus, it can be stated that a wide range of
customization procedures are available when it comes to labels and the
materials used with them. This can make the overall recycling procedure very
challenging. Thus, to ensure the recyclability of the label, they should be
matched with the material to which they are attached. It would also be a great
idea to use labels that come with wash-off recycling adhesives. This would
ensure that the label is separated from the material easily, and thus would
make the recycling procedure a bit easier. This is the general overview,
however you need to conduct thorough research to understand the recyclability
of your product’s label.