Fishersgate-based label manufacturer A4 Labels has launched its Ocean Action Labels range, produced using chemically recycled ocean-bound plastic.
The new label range uses plastic waste collected from coastal areas with poor or non-existent waste management systems where there is a high risk of the material entering the marine environment. According to the company, ocean-bound plastic accounts for a significant proportion of plastic that reaches the ocean, and the new range is designed to provide brands with an alternative to virgin fossil-based label materials.
The Ocean Action Labels range includes white and clear top-coated polypropylene (PP) film manufactured using chemically recycled ocean-bound plastic. The material is ISCC PLUS certified under the mass balance approach and is designed to offer the same performance characteristics as conventional PP film, allowing it to be used with existing labelling equipment and packaging processes.
According to A4 Labels, the material is suitable for applications including food and cosmetics packaging, enabling brands to increase the recycled content of their packaging without changes to production processes.
The launch follows growing industry interest in increasing recycled content within packaging materials. Global recycling rates for plastic remain relatively low, while millions of tonnes of plastic continue to enter the marine environment each year. A4 Labels says the new product range is intended to help reduce the amount of plastic reaching the ocean by incorporating ocean-bound plastic into label materials.
The Ocean Action Labels range builds on the company’s wider sustainability initiatives, including its Eco-Pledge partnership with Seven Clean Seas. A4 Labels says the partnership has so far supported the removal of 4231kg of plastic waste from the ocean and the clean-up of 29,154 metres of Indonesian coastline, equivalent to approximately 266 football fields.
