Herma gains wash-off certificates

Herma has received cyclos-HTP certificates confirming that seven of its PP and PE self-adhesive materials release completely from rigid PP packaging in a cold-water wash, which the company believes is an industry first and a step towards the cleaner recyclates the PPWR will require.

The certification is based on the CHI Recyclability Standard developed by the cyclos-HTP Institute, a methodology for assessing packaging recyclability that is aligned with the PPWR. The tests covered the rigid PP recycling stream under PPWR Category 12, and confirmed removal in an energy-efficient cold wash at 40 degrees Celsius. Because the label carries the printing ink, removing it also takes ink out of the recycling process and allows purer recycled material.

The certified range comprises six PP films and one PE film: HermaTherm PP el (grade 827), PP plus (829), Herma PP white super tc (881), PP white light (884), PP 50 transparent super tc (886), PP white 40 (892) and Herma PE white (850). They cover standard applications on PP packaging such as yogurt pots, delicatessen containers, cosmetics and logistics. Herma credits the multi-layer permanent pressure-sensitive adhesive 72Hpw for the PP films, and 62Xpc, developed for films, for the PE film.

PP recycling is a harder case than PET. 'Unlike in the long-established PET recycling process, PP packaging and PP or PE label film, including the adhesive, have an almost identical material density. Separation is therefore carried out by air classification after the label material has been removed. Until now, there have been no certified options for this. So far, the focus has not been on the label, which carries the printing ink. However, this is now changing drastically as a result of the PPWR,' said Dr Stefan Kissling, head of adhesive coating and special coatings at Herma.

'The fact that labels can now demonstrably be separated from the actual packaging material during a cold wash is a major step forward,' he added. 'Being arguably the first manufacturer to present a certificate in accordance with PPWR Category 12 for the cold-wash process of PP or PE films on rigid PP can be described as a genuine breakthrough. We are thereby solving a key problem in the PP material flow. Brand owners, packaging service providers and label printers now have a way to comply with the PPWR.'