BASF has developed new label adhesives that no longer hinder paper and cardboard recycling

BASF has made a breakthrough in the development of adhesives that do not affect the recycling of shipping boxes , such as cardboard and cardboard boxes coated with Acronal RCF 3705 or Acronal RCF 3706 paper labels
.
Both adhesives are certified by the "Papiertechnische Stiftung" (PTS) for this property
.
PTS is a German research and service organization that supports companies in all industries in the development and application of modern fiber-based solutions
.
The institute conducts material testing of paper and cardboard packaging
.
“Increased circularity and more efficient recycling are imperative as we strive to achieve climate neutrality worldwide
.
By developing the recycling-friendly adhesives Acronal RCF 3705 and Acronal RCF 3706, BASF is making a difference for more sustainable labels decisive contribution (e.
g.
in the field of logistics)
,” says Uwe Düsterwald, project manager for sustainability of adhesives at BASF
.

Besides the automotive and food industries, the logistics industry is another industry with high demand for pressure-sensitive labels
.
Today, shipping labels have constituted the fastest growing share of the market
.
This is confirmed by market reports from Alexander Watson Associates (AWA), such as Label and Product Decoration Europe 2017 and Global Label and Product Decoration Year in Review 2020
.
In 2020 and 2021, this trend has intensified with the rapid growth of e-commerce and mail order sales
.
Pressure-sensitive labels currently account for nearly 15% of label demand in Europe
.

These innovative adhesives solve a fundamental problem in the recycling of paper and cardboard packaging
.
While most adhesives used for paper labels interfere with the paper recycling process, the newly developed adhesives are easily removed early in the recycling process, enabling the reuse and printing of recovered paper or cardboard packaging that will never be used again.
have any questions
.

This solution reaffirms BASF's commitment to achieving a sustainable circular economy as defined in the EU's "Green Deal"
.
Through the "Green Deal", the EU has set a goal of achieving climate neutrality in industry and society by 2050
.
To help achieve this, BASF became one of the founding members of the cross-industry consortium CELAB (A Circular Economy for Labeling) in 2020
.
This global network is working to develop solutions to reduce the environmental impact of the label industry and promote a circular economy for self-adhesive labels across all industries
.
As Thomas Schiele, Vice President Adhesives, Fiber Adhesives and Paper Coating Chemicals at BASF points out: “The growing demand for packaging makes its recyclability a key issue for the packaging industry
.
Not only do we need to take steps in packaging materials, Attention also needs to be paid to the adhesives that are being used
.
Our innovative adhesive technology opens up entirely new possibilities for circular economy work in the packaging industry as well as many other industries
.
"