Herma’s self-adhesive division has achieved what it believes is the first certification for cold-water wash-off of PP and PE self-adhesive materials from rigid PP packaging.
The certification, based on the CHI Recyclability Standard developed by the cyclos-HTP Institute, covers six PP films and one PE film. The tests used for the process are aligned with the requirements of PPWR, taking into account PPWR Category 12.
“Unlike in the long-established PET recycling process, PP packaging and PP or PE label film – including the adhesive – have an almost identical material density,” said Dr Stefan Kissling, head of adhesiove and special coatings at Herma. “Separation is therefore carried out by air classification after the label material has been removed. Until now, there have been no certified solutions for this. So far, the focus has not been on the label, which carries the printing ink. However, this is now changing drastically as a result of the PPWR.”
Herma adds that the removal of the label with its problematic printing ink from the recycling process in this way means that purer recycled material can be produced.
“The fact that labels can now demonstrably be separated from the actual packaging material during a cold wash is a major step forward,” said Dr Kissling
Products certified in this process are HERMAtherm PP el (grade 827) and PP plus (829), HERMA PP white super tc (881) and PP white light (884), as well as HERMA PP 50 transparent super tc (886) and HERMA PP white 40 (892). The PE film included is HERMA PE white (850).
“Being arguably the first manufacturer to present a certificate in accordance with PPWR Category 12 for the cold-wash process of PP or PE films on rigid PP can be described as a genuine breakthrough,” explained Dr Kissling. “We are thereby solving a key problem in the PP material flow. Brand owners, packaging service providers and label printers now have a solution to comply with the EU Packaging Regulation (PPWR).”
