New Wave label from UPM Raflatac addresses HDPE and PP recycling

UPM Raflatac has launched its New Wave paper label material, which it says represents a step forward in the recycling of rigid plastic packaging, helping brand owners continue to make the shift towards enhanced circularity. The product is available now to customers in EMEIA.

Stated by UPM Raflatac, New Wave is the first RecyClass certified paper label material to obtain a letter of compatibility for use on rigid high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) containers. The test results confirm the compatibility even for natural and white material streams, which require the highest purity of recyclate from the recycling processes, explained the company. Currently, it claims, New Wave is the only RecyClass-recognised label solution for rigid natural and white HDPE and PP material streams. 

Primarily for home and personal care products, providing functionality for its full life cycle, the New Wave label material supports the purity of recycled materials by washing off cleanly at just 40°C using plain water with no chemicals required, said UPM Raflatac. It added that the New Wave label material is tested to perform without fibreloss in the recycling process, helping to prevent contamination in material streams, ensuring the resulting recyclate can be used again in new packaging without compromising on quality.

Robert Taylor, director of sustainability at UPM Raflatac, explained that brands who choose the New Label material for HDPE or PP packaging, can now make the ‘full package eligible for RecyClass certification’. Until now, this had been difficult, said UPM Raflatac, adding that to receive RecyClass approval for natural and white HDPE and PP rigid packaging you needed a RecyClass approved label.

Mr Taylor added, ‘Brand owners will not have to test the packaging further if all packaging components have either a letter of compatibility, a technology approval letter, or the material choice meets RecyClass Design for Recycling Guidelines.’

To conclude, Sylwia Jurys, vice president of Paper Laminates at UPM Raflatac, described the launch as a ‘significant breakthrough’ in the company’s efforts to enhance the circularity of plastic packaging. She continued, ‘As regulations such as the European Packaging and Packaging Wate Regulation (PPWR) continue to evolve, we have worked with RecyClass to provide a solution that not only meets strict recycling criteria but also sets a new standard for sustainable packaging.’