Page 51 - Print21 July-August 2022

Sustainability
Labels under the eco spotlight
As the public become increasingly environmentally aware, all aspects of packaging are under scrutiny, including labels. Colleen Bate reports.
The label printing industry grappled with sustainability of labels in printing and converting at a well-attended
webinar on the topic hosted by the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) and the Flexible Packaging & Label Manufacturing Association (FPLMA), as environmental concerns mount in print.
Some 150 participants tuned in
to the zoom conference, to discover more about Sustainable Label Materials, Inks & Coatings and Machinery Used in Printing, and the current state of play in Australia and New Zealand.
Industry experts Michael Dossor, group general manager, Result Group; Mark Daws, director –
Labels & Packaging ANZ, Currie Group, presented their insights and expertise on their respective areas of speciality.
Waste hierarchy
Dossor kicked off by discussing the APCO waste hierarchy and provided examples of how the 5Rs (reuse, reduce, renew, recycle, redesign) can be achieved in the industry,
and honed in on the opportunity to reduce packaging using linerless labels.
Benefits of linerless labels, Dossor said, include zero liner waste to landfill, reduction in material usage, reduction in carbon emissions in label production, and saving on shipping, storage and production costs.
He noted there has been a strong uptake of linerless labels in the protein market, and to a growing extent in fresh produce.
Looking at the move to reuse or renew self-adhesive label liner waste, Dossor spoke of current schemes
to convert glassine liner waste into insulation material for building,
and recycling backing liner into paper-pulp to create paper products, including more backing liner.
On the subject of renewable materials in labels, he gave examples of facestocks comprised of rPE and rPP, facestock made from recycled paper, and cited a wine label on the
Australian market made from 30 per cent grass content.
In terms of packaging sustainability that could be achieved via labelling, Dossor highlighted
the evolution of compostable
labels used for traditional, thermal and fresh produce labelling, but cautioned that mandates are in place offshore regarding sustainability certifications for fruit labelling.
Compatibility
He said that a big issue to be taken into account was the compatibility of a label with the recycling system. “If we can get the label off the product, we can increase the value of the recycled product and sell the base material,” he said, anticipating that there will be a lot of work in this space in the future.
“This market has the potential
to evolve rapidly but will require collaboration between brand owner, material supplier and printer;
and ultimately the recycling industry. If we get it right, we can gain local benefits and achieve
our sustainability objectives very quickly,” he advised.
“This market has the potential to evolve rapidly but will require collaboration between brand owner, material supplier and printer.” – Michael Dossor, Result Group
According to Dossor, another label product swiftly gaining momentum in markets outside of Australia,
and starting up locally, is the wash off adhesive, widely used on fresh produce crates which often contain labels that won’t wash off.
In closing, Dossor said that “simple design changes amount to major benefits” and left attendees with three points to ponder: the importance of matching the label stock to the application substrate; label separation and recycling improves the purity of the recycling material; and increased efficiency in recycling that can ultimately reduce costs of recycled content materials.”
Factors and drivers
Currie Group labels and packaging director Mark Daws' discussion examined the factors and drivers that determine sustainability, outlined materials and technology currently available, and explored opportunities for printers and converters to grow and educate themselves in the sustainability arena.
Commencing his session by highlighting the benefits of sustainability for people, profit and planet, he went on to summarise the key drivers of consumers, brands and governments that are currently increasing demand for sustainable packaging.
He noted that these drivers of sustainable packaging are pushing converters to provide solutions for their customers, and that demanding requirements and new legislation forces print service providers to embrace this change or be left behind.
After elaborating on the factors that determine the sustainability of a package, Daws highlighted various sustainable solutions on offer in
the printing and technology arena. These included advancements in inks (water-based and UV curable), servo driven technology (for automatic colour registration pressure control) to reduce printing waste, and hot drying systems for energy efficiency. Sustainability has become a key issue for label printers, by addressing the issues the industry will be able to move forward. 21
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