UPM Raflatac takes RafCycle to China

UPM Raflatac is expanding its RafCycle recycling system to China, with the first RafCycle partner certificate in China awarded to label converter Hangzhou Changli.

RafCycle services were launched in China on December 6, 2017 during a customer event

RafCycle services were launched in Changshu on December 6, 2017 during a customer event. RafCycle was also promoted at the recent Labelexpo Asia 2017 in Shanghai.

The paper liner waste generated by the RafCycle partners in China will be delivered to Hangzhou Fulun Ecology Technology where the paper liner waste can be recycled back into pulp and paper.

Hangzhou Changli is also the 100th RafCycle partner globally. The number of RafCycle partners has grown increasingly over the years as sustainability has become one of the key drivers in the labeling industry, according to UPM Raflatac. Today more than 10,000 tons of label liner waste is being recycled in Europe through the RafCycle program.

‘The recycling of wood fibers in paper products is a closed-loop solution and a shining example of sustainability at its best,’ said Sharon Xiao, sustainability manager for the Asia-Pacific region at UPM Raflatac. ‘We see sustainability as a key for success and a driver of innovation.’

To this end, UPM Raflatac is actively searching for new RafCycle partners and said the expansion to China is an important step in this process.