UPM Raflatac brings RafCycle to Thailand

UPM Raflatac has made its RafCycle recycling program available in Thailand. RafCycle services were launched in Bangkok on November 16, 2018, during an end-user event with an announcement of EcoBlue being the first RafCycle partner in the area.

RafCycle services were launched in Bangkok on November 16

EcoBlue recycles PET label liner waste at its recycling facility in Rayong, Thailand. The waste, which otherwise is either incinerated or goes to landfill, is collected from RafCycle partners and recycled into new materials providing benefits to printers, packers, brand owners and the environment. 

Pranay Jain, managing director of EcoBlue, said: ‘The goal of 100 percent recyclable packaging set out by the consumer product companies requires us to find solutions for waste materials beyond PET bottles. Our CircuLiner Program intends to achieve this by providing a recycling program for the PET liner waste. We are excited about partnering with an environmentally conscious organization like UPM Raflatac and hope to grow this program through RafCycle.’  

Tanarrato Tanaka, country manager, Thailand, UPM Raflatac, added: ‘We are delighted to be able to introduce RafCycle in Thailand in partnership with Ecoblue. Our local team of experts can offer our customers and brands a range of sustainable products and services that will deliver benefits in the local market and beyond.’

‘Labels are everywhere and an integral part of packaging. In expanding our RafCycle program to Thailand, we want to encourage brands to work with us to achieve their recycling targets and to make the plastics economy truly circular. Our ambition is to expand the RafCycle services into other South East Asian markets in due course,’ said Robert Taylor, sustainability director at UPM Raflatac.

UPM Raflatac recently signed up to the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment among 250 organizations including many of the world's largest packaging producers, brands, retailers and recyclers, as well as governments and NGOs. 

The Global Commitment and its vision for a circular economy for plastic is led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in collaboration with UN Environment.