The importance of label design for a circular economy
Published in the Australian Printer magazine, this article by Dr Melita Jazbec, Benjamin Madden and Dr Nick Florin from the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), focuses on the importance of label design for a circular economy.
Efforts to increase recycling rates of packaging align with the broader aim to transition away from the linear ‘make-use-dispose’ economy to a more circular economy. Poor label design and material selection can lead to the generation of unnecessary waste and be problematic for material recovery at the end of the product’s life.
The Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) joined the NSW Smart Sensing Network (NSSN) as part of a consortium of researchers (from the University of Sydney and UNSW) and industry partners focused on addressing the issue of label materials and adhesives contaminating milk bottle recycling. The consortium was led by PEGRAS and included industry partners Labelmakers and several dairy companies. ISF research focused on providing a whole-of-system analysis including material flow modelling of milk bottle flows from consumption to recovery at end of life.
Australians consume one billion milk products each year, predominantly milk sold in two-litre (65 per cent) and three-litre milk bottles (25 per cent). Milk bottles are made of highly recyclable natural high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The labels that are attached to the milk bottles are primarily made from polypropylene (PP). While labels (380 tonnes) and adhesive (145 tonnes) represent only a small proportion of the 48,000 tonnes of milk bottle packaging placed on the market, they impact the recycling process by potentially contaminating the final product. The label technology has changed over time including transitioning away from paper to PVC (vinyl) and more!
Read more in the Australian Printer (page 40) here.
Find out more about this project here.
Media: Shahrzad Abbasi - 0466 548 145