Labels and recycling - environmentally friendly labels

Every year millions of tons of trash are appearing, mostly foil bags and used packaging. A great challange arises in the care for the environment, which is more and more overburdened by human activity. The rise in awareness results in a number of initiatives and procedures aiming at reducing the negative impact on the nature. Recycling of labels is a crucial element in those endeavours. Do you want to know more about this topic? Read further.

Brief on the essence of label recycling

Paper, polyethylene and other materials – different resources are needed in the production of product markings. Even though – individually – they can appear as a small problem (after all they weight very little), the amount of food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic products or electronics brought into being and packed every day gives you a broader perspective and allows you to imagine the real scale of the problem. Those are a potential waste that could pollute the environment, causing harm to plants, animals and us – humans.

Additionally, label production from - so called - primary raw materials needs oil extraction and appropriate treatment. This in turn, contributes to further polluting the nature with gases resulting from those processes and transport.

For those reasons, it is critical that the labels are being recycled. The materials used in the marking production could be reused. But is it possible to just rip them off and toss them to the right container to reprocess them? Unfortunately – it is not that simple. Firstly, let’s take a look at the products that can undergo a recycling process.

Which labels can be recycled?

All of them – in theory. The topic, however, requires a deeper look. The markings from one material, glued to the packagings from the same materials are the easiest and the most economic to reprocess. For example – recovering them is simpler if they were produced from PET and placed on PET bottles (also depending on the ink and glue used). The same situation applies to paper labels on cardbord packaging etc. It becomes more challenging when the materials of both products (marking and packaging) are completely different.

Which labels are harder to reprocess and why?

The combination of plastic and paper challenges the recycling process. Why? Because one of them is often considered as an unprofitable waste to restore . In other words – it is, in many cases, disposed of. It is similar in the example of inks and glues. The latter sometimes cause a problem in label reprocessing. If they were not cleaned, they can damage the restored material and cause delays in processing plant. For those reasons the application of appropriate adhesive substances holds a great meaning.

Recycled labels - an eco-friendly option for responsible brands

The most important thing is – a vast majority of materials can be restored to the cycle. Recycled materials are becoming more and more popular in label production and their implementation results in numerous profits. Most importantly – to the nature. It means less waste and on the other hand – simplification of prodction process without the need to run out of the natural resources. The companies, however, will be more interested in the fact that eco-labels are more positively viewed by the clients. Consumer’s awareness grows all the time, especially in the field of the impact on the nature. They are more likely to choose products with packagings that leave smaller carbon footprint or can be restored in the recycling process.

We will print on recycled labels for you!

The processes involved in recovering plastics and other materials are of great importance for business, but - above all - for the future of our planet. For this reason, it makes sense to invest, among other things, in environmentally friendly labelling. Remember that your product should still look attractive. We can take care of that - we have the capabilities to provide you with attractive banners and other article markings. Check it out now!

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