Page 56 - FINAT Yearbook 2014

SUSTAINABILITY & RECYCLING
THE INDUSTRY DEBATES ‘AFTERLIFE’
OPTIONS FOR LABEL RELEASE LINER
Sustainability and environmental concerns are a key focus for FINAT and, of course, for the self-adhesive labelling industry as a whole, as part of the broader packaging business. This year’s FINAT Technical Seminar drew together different elements of the label value chain to address recycling initiatives in a discussion panel moderated by industry guru Mike Fairley.
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Panelists were Calvin Frost, Channeled Resources Group; Paolo Guagliumi, Munksjö; Erkki Nyberg, UPM Raflatac; Eric Van Pottelbergh, RecuLiner; Stephan Reis, Avery Dennison, and Petri Tani, C4G.
Mike Fairley opened the session by reminding seminar participants that the very first patent for paper recycling was granted in 1800 – for newsprint. What, then, should restrain the label industry’s efforts to create a second life for spent releaseliner?
‘PULL THROUGH’ FROM BRAND OWNERS NEEDED
Discussion was wide-ranging, across a number of important pathways in which the industry is already a participant, or which offer possibilities for recycling or re-use. Calvin Frost and Petri Tan agreed that one way forward is for the labelstock
laminators to create the demand for secondary fibre, and communicate it to their suppliers. But, although such materials are available on the market, there is still no ‘pull through’ from the brand owners – perhaps, as Stephan Reis commented, because they may have to be willing to pay more for recycled material – which is rarely the case in today’s competitive marketplace. But, added Petri Tani, ‘even end users understand that recycling is better than landfill and incineration!’
GETTING THE MESSAGE ACROSS
Mike Fairley underlined the importance of the sustainability agenda for the future health of the label industry. ‘We are not getting the message across to the brand owners and end users,’ he said, ‘and we still don’t have a system for creating a carbon footprint through the label supply chain. As an industry, we simply don’t have one clear, coherent message.’
FINAT YEARBOOK 2014 |