- Dow and Avery Dennison have co-developed an innovative hotmelt label adhesive that enables filmic labels and packaging (PP/PE) to be mechanically recycled together.
- The new olefinic hotmelt adhesive is the first of its kind on the label market, designed for chilled food applications.
- The solution is approved by Recyclass for recycling in the HDPE colored stream in European markets.
HORGEN, Switzerland / OEGSTGEEST, Netherlands – April 13, 2023 – Dow (NYSE: DOW) and Avery Dennison have co-developed an innovative and sustainable new hotmelt label adhesive solution that enables polyolefin filmic labels and polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE) packaging to be mechanically recycled together in one stream. The adhesive is the first of its kind on the label market and is approved by Recyclass for recycling in the HDPE colored stream - Class B.
Hotmelt adhesives offer excellent performance in labels for chilled applications (such as food), but standard hotmelts reduce the usability of recycled PP/PE material. Because this new olefinic hotmelt is based on the same chemistry as PP/PE packaging, when it is combined with a polyolefin facestock, the label and packaging can be treated as a mono-material and recycled together. It therefore offers better recyclability than standard hotmelts without compromising performance.
The new adhesive’s development was driven by Avery Dennison’s design-for-recycling thinking and made possible by Dow’s polymer science expertise. It is based on AFFINITY™ GA Polymers from Dow and sold by Avery Dennison under the name CF3050 in the Europe, Middle East, North Africa region (EMENA) region.
“The joint launch of this new olefinic hotmelt is a great example of how collaborating with partners across the supply chain, like Dow, is key to deliver innovations that help reduce waste, enable the circularity of plastics, and advance the circular economy,” says Jarkko Pitko, senior research associate at Avery Dennison Materials Group EMENA.
“It is Dow’s goal to deliver 3 million metric tons per year of circular and renewable solutions by 2030,” adds Imran Munshi, global marketing manager, Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics. “Collaborations like this will help accelerate our contributions towards a circular economy for plastic packaging.”
About Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics
Packaging and Specialty Plastics (P&SP), a business unit of Dow (NYSE: DOW), combines core strengths of R&D, worldwide reach, broad product lines and industry expertise to deliver high performing technologies for end use markets in food packaging, personal hygiene, infrastructure, consumer goods and transportation. P&SP is one of the world’s largest producers of polyethylene resins, functional polymers, and adhesives, and enabled by Pack Studios, is a leading innovator and collaborator across the value chain on sustainable application development and circular economy life-cycle design for plastics. www.dowpackaging.com
About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines global breadth; asset integration and scale; focused innovation and materials science expertise; leading business positions; and environmental, social and governance leadership to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. The Company's ambition is to become the most innovative, customer centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world. Dow's portfolio of plastics, industrial intermediates, coatings and silicones businesses delivers a broad range of differentiated, science-based products and solutions for its customers in high-growth market segments, such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Dow operates manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employs approximately 37,800 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $57 billion in 2022. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information, please visit www.dow.com or follow @DowNewsroom on Twitter.
About Avery Dennison
Avery Dennison Corporation (NYSE: AVY) is a global materials science and digital identification solutions company that provides branding and information labeling solutions, including pressure-sensitive materials, radio-frequency identification (RFID) inlays and tags, and a variety of converted products and solutions. The company designs and manufactures a wide range of labeling and functional materials that enhance branded packaging, carry or display information that connects the physical and the digital, and improve customers’ product performance. The company serves an array of industries worldwide, including home and personal care, apparel, e-commerce, logistics, food and grocery, pharmaceuticals and automotive. The company employs approximately 36,000 employees in more than 50 countries. Reported sales in 2022 were $9.0 billion. Learn more at www.averydennison.com.
For further information, please contact:
Uta Ü nal
Dow
uuenal@dow.com
Mirrijne Pluim
Avery Dennison Materials Group
mirrijne.pluim@eu.averydennison.com