Sustainable materials | 57Packaging sustainability: green is the new black No longer just a buzzword, sustainability occupies a front-row seat in label and packaging materials development. Akanksha Meena reportsim Bohlke, director of sustainability “As we know, the label is typically not removed at Resource Label Group, says brands Twithout a sustainable packaging prior to consumers putting their recyclables in strategy need to start converting their portfolio now.the bin, so it is important for brands to consider ‘If you’re a brand owner, you want to have this on your radar. Consumers are recycling in every element of the package. When educating themselves and getting smarter compatible materials are chosen, the label can at the shelf. They are paying attention and asking, “Does this brand care about enhance the recyclability of the package”the environment?”’Consumers frst became ecologically conscious in the late 1960s and early and goals. content in its labels, both flms and paper, 1970s, as worrying environmental How2Recycle is a North America-based and in the face stock and liner. This is signs such as land degradation, species lobby group that brings together 225 brand particularly important for brands working extinction and atmospheric pollution and retailer members with the aim of towards recycled content goals and became apparent. reducing consumers’ confusion about what supporting the circular economy.In the 1990s new environmental can and cannot be recycled. Drew says recyclability must be problems including global warming, the The group supports the development considered from a holistic perspective when ‘ozone hole’ and the Exxon Valdez oil spill of a clear, well-understood and nationally designing a recycling-ready package.led consumers to seek environmentally harmonized label that enables companies ‘As we know, the label is typically not friendly alternatives in their purchases. to convey to consumers how to recycle a removed prior to consumers putting their In the 2000s, the ecological sensitivity of package, as well as improve the reliability, recyclables in the bin, so it is important consumers skyrocketed. completeness and transparency of for brands to consider recycling in every A growing body of research shows recyclability claims. element of the package (packaging type, consumers make purchasing decisions on The Sustainable Packaging Coalition closures, labels, inks, decoration). When environment-related grounds, preferring now reports that 56 percent of its member compatible materials are chosen, the products that are biodegradable, CFC-free companies have publicly stated goals to label can enhance the recyclability of the and organically grown. make their packaging more recyclable, package to ensure we are enabling the The same research shows they are willing compostable and reusable. highest possible recycling outcomes. On the to pay higher prices for environmentally Some 44 percent of the packaging that liner side, paper and PET liner is considered friendly goods. Further, many are shopping How2Recycle member companies have recyclable, however, this will vary among at nontraditional distribution outlets, submitted for the program’s review is different geographic regions, and is such as organic food outlets, to purchase currently recyclable. dependent on local recycling infrastructure ‘green’ products. Ashley Drew, sustainability manager, and capabilities, so we recommend These growing pressures from consumers, UPM Rafatac says that the company is checking with your local recycler.’increasingly refected in state and national approaching its sustainability objectives UPM Rafatac is focusing heavily on legislation, have led brands to write from different angles, including increasing providing recycle-compatible materials sustainability into their corporate vision the percentage of post-consumer recycled for a variety of substrates and educating Jindal has introduced new high-barrier Ethy-Lyte flms, Coveris has developed fully recyclable packaging, which can be adopted in the fexible packaging market Amit Shah, joint president and MonoFlexE, for Aldi’s store brand rice as PE printing flms for recyclable mono-PE structuresCMO, Flexible Packaging, UFlexOct - Dec 2022