FINAT signs up to increase European paper recycling

FINAT, the worldwide association for the self-adhesive label industry, has signed the European Declaration on Paper Recycling, committing its members to strive for greater recovery of waste materials associated with the labels.

The Declaration was signed by 12 different representative organizations covering all paper and board products made in Europe and aims to recycle almost two-thirds of the continent’s paper – equivalent to two tonnes every second – by 2010. At the moment, with a recovery rate of 55.4 per cent, Europe is ahead of both America and Asia.

Last year Europe recycled a total 46.6m tonnes of paper and board but while the self-adhesive label industry only represents a fraction of the total paper stream, FINAT and its members have been keen to find ways and means of better recycling. In the context of the Declaration, FINAT’s focus of attention is on the development and exploration of new recycling possibilities for siliconized backing papers.

Following successful experiences in Germany, FINAT is targeting to set up pilot recovery schemes in Britain and France in co-operation with the respective self-adhesive label trade associations and has created a Recycling Steering Committee that managing director Jules Lejeune says will be ‘the catalyst for waste recycling across the European self-adhesive industry’.

The Declaration focuses on complementary actions by all of the sectors involved, and gives priority to the prevention of waste, improving the recyclability of paper and board products, as well as further improving the quality of recovered paper available for recycling. In practice, the objectives of the Declaration will translate into ground-breaking research and development in paper recycling technology, a focus on quality and responsible sourcing and on raising public awareness.

Mr Lejeune said: ‘This is a very important step forward. As the carrier of labels, release liners are an essential component of our industry’s final product, both during the manufacture, conversion and application of labels. At the same time, our members are conscious of the fact that we have an important role to play in improving recycling when these materials remain at the end of the production value chain. Provided the right conditions are met, fibers from recycled siliconized paper liner are perfectly suitable as raw material for other fiber based applications.’