Avery Dennison and Belgian-based Seliplast AG (acronym for Second Life for Plastics) have launched a first-of-its-kind recycling option for label matrix waste made of polypropylene and polyethylene. The program is now available to converters in Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany and France.

This new offering builds on a 2014 pilot established by the two companies in which more than 1,000 tons of plastic laminate and matrix waste in Avery Dennison’s plant in Turnhout, Belgium were converted into new granulate for industrial and household products. The solution eliminates the need for waste material to be shipped outside of the region for manual sorting and recycling, which had previously been required due to the sticky nature of the residue.

Avery Dennison’s global sustainability director, Xander van der Vlies, said that the agreement with Seliplast AG is a great fit with the company’s wider environmental objectives: “Our vision is to make use of local recycling solutions where possible, and to reduce all aspects of our environmental footprint, from energy use all the way through to the level of waste. We are excited to promote Seliplast AG’s label matrix waste recycling options to our customers.”

Christian Horn, managing director of Seliplast AG notes that the filmic matrix and laminate waste must comply with certain quality standards to be accepted. He says, “For recycling to be practical, the waste matrix material has to be collected separately, avoiding paper contamination.”

When the required conditions are met, Avery Dennison and Seliplast AG can offer converters a viable local alternative to landfill or incineration, with consequential reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. According to van der Vlies, “This type of program is an excellent example of collaboration that creates a positive impact on the environment by turning product waste into source material for other products.”