APR releases report from full-wrap-sleeve-label working group

The Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers (APR), Washington, has released its “Final Report of the Sleeve Label Working Group,” which details recommendations the packaging industry can use to mitigate the impact of sleeve labels on the recycling of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles.

Formed last June, this APR working group represented all segments of the recycling industry and label supply chain, including PET reclaimers, brand owners, material suppliers, equipment vendors and testing labs. The group’s primary focus was the growing technical issues associated with recycling containers with full-wrap shrink-sleeve labels.

“Recyclers were seeing more and more containers with full-wrap shrink-sleeve labels contaminating their material,” says John Standish, APR technical director. “We formed a group to clearly identify steps that would allow brand owners to take advantage of these labels without creating a negative impact on the quality of the recycled PET stream.”

Byron Geiger, president of Custom Polymers PET and chairman of the APR’s technical programs, says, “Unfortunately, these labels serve as a great marketing tool, but they essentially render the container nonrecyclable. Sorting technology was unable to identify the resin type of the container if it had a full-wrap label, thereby not separating it out appropriately, resulting in a contaminated stream of material. It was a significant problem.”

Steve Alexander, APR executive director, adds, “The extensive work of this group is just the latest example of how the technical guidance that the APR and the plastics recycling industry can provide to ensure that product innovation and recyclability need not be mutually exclusive. We strive each and every day to bring these types of solutions to the marketplace.”

Key recommendations of the working group include:

• Employing sleeve labels that will float in water and separate from PET flakes in a sink/float material separation step;
• Employing printed labels where the label inks do not stain PET flakes in the wash/rinse step;
• Using APR’s “Critical Guidance Document for Shrink Labels for PET Bottles” as a comprehensive laboratory test program to assess the impact of a label on recycling PET bottles; and
• Where possible, using a sleeve label that leaves at least 20 percent of the PET bottle surface area exposed. This will allow the most accurate autosortation by the broadest range of installed color sorters.

Although the problem is not completely solved, Standish says several label manufacturers have worked with the APR to create label stock that meets APR guidelines for removal of the labels in the wash system, which reduces the problem.

“While we have a ways to go, the market is responding and working with APR to create guidelines that provide for the continued use of a full wrap label that meets the needs of the recycler. As the market evolves, we are hopeful more and more companies adopt this new label innovation for use with their products,” he adds.

APR has worked with label manufacturers that developed shrink label technology now available that meet APR Critical Guidance. These recognized companies are listed at www.plasticsrecycling.org/recognition-program/recipients.

“Although this is one small step in addressing a much larger label problem with containers,” Standish says, “the efforts to date give me optimism that the label manufacturers, brand owners and recyclers are up to the challenge. At the end of the day, all parties want to see more of their material recycled.”

A full copy of the report is available at www.plasticsrecycling.org/pet-resins/pet-bottles.