Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials has announced its MDO and PE films have been recognized to comply with the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) Critical Guidance for HDPE recycling, and the company’s BOPP and MDO films have been recognized to comply with APR Critical Guidance for Flexible PE recycling.

Following the earlier APR recognition of the Avery Dennison BOPP portfolio, the company becomes the first label manufacturer to offer a complete range of film solutions for brands and converters seeking to enhance the recyclability of rigid HDPE and the first to offer APR recognized films for flexible PE plastics.

The APR Critical Guidance is a comprehensive laboratory scale protocol used to assess the compatibility of packaging innovations with reclamation systems. The APR released Critical Guidance for both the HDPE and PE recycling streams in 2020. The recognition of Avery Dennison films by APR validates that the labels stay with the container without impacting the recycling process.

The APR recognition of direct thermal BOPP films for PE recycling also creates opportunities for users of Avery Dennison labels on flexible PE plastics to enhance sustainability in growing markets such as e-commerce while meeting consumer preferences for easily recyclable packaging.

“Recyclability of e-commerce packaging has become a significant issue for consumers,” says Tina Hart, vice president, strategic innovation. “This recognition helps companies address that challenge with recyclable labeling options for products being shipped in flexible PE packaging.”

Converters and brands seeking a more sustainable labeling solution for products packaged in HDPE plastics will find that Avery Dennison’s clear and white MDO films, including Global MDO and Global CO-EX products and PE films, are now APR recognized. This recognition enables home and personal care brands as well as other products packaged in HDPE plastic to simplify recycling for their customers while enabling increased yields for plastic recyclers.

“Having a full family of APR-recognized films for HDPE containers represents a significant development for plastic recyclers,” notes Scott Saunders, GM at KW Plastics, the world’s largest plastic recycler. “Using these films will allow us to increase the percentage of plastic we are able to recycle.”

“We are committed to continuing to advance the circularity of our products and those of our customers,” Hart adds. “This announcement that our full film portfolio has been APR recognized represents a major milestone in our progress toward that goal and sets a new standard for the industry.”