Avery Dennison launches liner circularity program

Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials, Mentor, Ohio, says it has taken a major step in advancing material circularity across the industry with an exclusive agreement with Mitsubishi Chemical Group’s polyester film division in North America. Through the agreement, Mitsubishi will offer a closed-loop process for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) liner recycling, helping to increase the recycled content in PET liners supplied to Avery Dennison and the industry.   

“This program is not only a significant milestone in realizing our goal of diverting waste away from landfills, but it represents a giant step forward for the entire industry,” says Jeroen Diderich, senior vice president and general manager of Avery Dennison Label and Graphic Materials North America. “We are thrilled to have an opportunity for liner circularity and to help meet the recycled content goals for converters, brands and label manufacturers.”   

According to a news release, Avery Dennison will identify converters and brands using film liners, working to collect this material for recycling at Mitsubishi. The recycled content will be added to the film liner manufactured, moving toward circularity and helping to meet the growing demand for film liners with recycled content.  

The content is supplied by Mitsubishi through its Reprocess technology, which collects spent liner material from the pressure-sensitive label and liner customers and downstream users. The company says it can reprocess the waste liner stream into first-quality release liners with up to 25 percent postindustrial recycled material.  

“We are excited to work with Avery Dennison in advancing the circularity of label materials, utilizing our revolutionary Reprocess technology,” says Ted Higgins, chief operating officer with Mitsubishi Chemical Group’s polyester film division. “This agreement brings a level of organization and coordination to film liner recycling that has been lacking and has the potential to accelerate the movement to material circularity across the labeling industry.”  

To learn more about the program or how to get started recycling your liner click here.