AWA Report Lists Management and Recycling Options

September 5, 2012—Waste management in the pressure-sensitive label industry is a high-visibility and broad-ranging topic that is currently challenging the entire value chain—from brand owners and retailers through label printers and labelstock laminators, to raw material suppliers. New from AWA Alexander Watson Associates is an AWAreness™ Report designed to help point the way to identifying appropriate solutions for all concerned: Pressure-sensitive Label Waste Management Report.

What constitutes label waste?

The sustainability agenda has focused attention on many items within the broader definition of packaging, but pressure-sensitive labels’ complex value chain and laminate construction create challenges on recycling at various levels. These include laminate manufacturing waste, press set-up waste, adhesive-coated matrix waste and—perhaps of the greatest concern today—spent release liner. Release liners—both paper and film—are key contributors to successful pressure-sensitive labeling. They are high-value products that can be recycled.

The available options

All these aspects of pressure-sensitive label waste are discussed in this concise study, which clearly sets out the options available—material downgauging, linerless labels, coating, laminating and printing labelstock in one machine pass, cradle-to-cradle recycling for reuse, and recycling for alternative uses. The status quo of legislation around the world, change drivers and change barriers are all discussed, as a prologue to identifying the physical problems around collection of label waste, and defining where the ownership of instigating such collection should reside.

The study concludes with an up-to-the-minute review of companies globally who are offering waste management solutions of all kinds for users of pressure-sensitive labels.

AWA Alexander Watson Associates’ Pressure-sensitive Label Waste Management Report is a timely publication prepared to assist the pressure-sensitive label industry at all levels in mapping out a route to responsible—and sometimes financially-rewarding—management of its various waste streams. The report is available now to order via the AWA Alexander Watson Associates Website, www.awa-bv.com, where details of the company’s full portfolio of market reports and events concerning the pressure-sensitive label industry may also be found.

Source: AWA.