TAKEAWAYS
1. An industry-first trial of wash-off labels in the real-life commercial PET recycling process has validated the removal performance of wash-off labels and the improved recyclability of PET packaging.
2. The trial results show that the removal rate of UPM Raflatac RW85C PET wash-off labels exceeded 99.9%.
3. The superior performance of the RW85C PET wash-off labels effectively minimizes the impurity residue of recycled PET flakes, meeting the quality requirements of food-grade r-PET pellets and facilitating ‘bottle-to-bottle’ closed-loop recycling.
The domestic recycled PET (r-PET) industry faces ongoing challenges in production efficiency and product quality due to non-recyclable design elements in PET bottles. Specifically, residues from traditional pressure-sensitive labels and their adhesives can contaminate the recycling stream during the label removal process, hindering high-value recycling of PET bottles. This was a core finding of a special report, jointly released by GIZ and the China Plastic Reuse and Recycling Association (CPRRA) at the 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE). The case collection focused on the Design for Recycling (DfR) and high-value application of recycled plastics.
Since the launch of WtR Program, short for “Waste to Resource: Upgrading the Value Chain of Packaging Waste through Improving Collection and Recycling in China”, GIZ has conducted in-depth research to address different industry recycling challenges. In collaboration with UPM Raflatac and Nongfu Spring, GIZ initiated a three-year innovative pilot case focusing on the DfR for PET bottles. By using UPM Raflatac RW85C wash-off labels on one of Nongfu Spring's seasonal beverage bottles, this pilot case aims to explore a successful circular economy model of PET packaging.
An industry-first trial of wash-off labels in the real-life commercial PET recycling process
The trial aimed to explore an innovative labeling solution to eliminate contamination during PET recycling. As an industry frontrunner with expertise in sustainable labeling solutions, UPM Raflatac was honored to partner with GIZ and Nongfu Spring in this pilot case.
With the support and facilitation of GIZ, Nongfu Spring utilized UPM Raflatac RW85C wash-off labels on both the neck and body of one of its seasonal beverage bottles. These PP film labels, paired with the RW85C wash-off adhesive, wash off easily and separate cleanly from PET flakes during the hot washing process. The adhesive and PP facestock float to the top, carrying away contaminants, while clean PET flakes sink to the bottom, achieving a higher yield of PET flakes suitable for bottle-to-bottle recycling.
"As an industry-first trial, the aim of the WtR Program was to enhance the recyclability of PET packaging from the design phase without compromising the comprehensive labeling performance requirements of Nongfu Spring. We needed a wash-off label solution that was fully compatible with the recycling stream to achieve truly closed-loop recycling, and which maintained satisfactory performance in extreme conditions, such as ice cooling in the summer. Based on these considerations, UPM Raflatac conducted extensive experiments during the past three years of collaboration," stated Michelle Yu, UPM Raflatac's Sustainability Manager, APAC.
Bottle-to-bottle recycling for PET packaging with collaboration across the value chain
To better facilitate the WtR Program and obtain sufficient data, Nongfu Spring has invested 60,000 innovatively designed PET bottles, sold through internal company purchases. These bottles are collected via a fully traceable recycling process after use. The collected empty bottles are then handed over to PET recycling partners for trial of the wash-off labels, including both lab tests and a commercial recycling process. The trials focused on three aspects: removal rate, recyclate quality, and wastewater index.
1. Excellent wash-off capability
The recycled PET bottles were shredded and washed at 85 °C for 20 minutes following industry-wide standard testing methods. RW85C PET wash-off labels achieved a removal rate of approximately 99.6% after cleaning, flotation, and rinsing tests, which was significantly higher than the 40% removal rate of traditional pressure-sensitive labels.
