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New packaging tech targets recycling problems from labels and adhesives
Europe’s PPWR rules require packaging to be at least 70% recyclable by 2030, pushing companies to cut non-recyclable “stickies.”
Labels, seals and coatings can turn otherwise recyclable paper packaging into a problem for recycling systems, as non-recyclable adhesives can harm recycling machinery, degrade the quality of recycled paper, or even lead to rejected loads, according to BBC Business citing scientists at NC State University.
BBC Business notes that paper is one of the most recycled materials in Europe, with around 74% of paper and board consumed in 2024 recycled, but tighter requirements are increasing pressure to address what industry calls “stickies.”
A Europe-wide packaging and packaging waste regulation (PPWR) begins in August, ordering that packaging must be minimum 70% recyclable by 2030, rising to 80% from 2038. The outlet also highlights that German law will impose stricter reporting and introduce licensing fees, adding incentives to develop compliant designs.
To tackle the issue, BBC Business describes multiple German-led approaches, including water soluble adhesives from Fraunhofer, Hermann Ultraschall and Henkel, and Fraunhofer’s PAPURE project, which uses a laser-based heating process to seal paper without adhesives. Fraunhofer, whose PAPURE project is set to close in September, is seeking an industry partner to take the technology to market after showcasing it at Interpack in Dusseldorf in May.