Brook and Whittle’s light-blocking shrink sleeves allow contamination-free clear PET recycling

(Image credit: Brooke + Whittle).

07 Aug 2024 --- Brook and Whittle’s GreenLabel BlockOut light-blocking shrink sleeve solution has gained recognition by two organizations for its performance and compatibility with recycling systems.

The opaque sleeve, which does not contaminate plastic recycling chains, was evaluated based on its materials, components and packaging design.

Eliminating plastics in markets like dairy, beverage and nutraceuticals has been a historic challenge. To protect these light-sensitive products from spoilage, nutrient loss and flavor change, many brands continue to use white or colored PET packaging.

Brook and Whittle’s patented recyclable shrink sleeve solution is designed for brands that require light-blocking packaging and want to move from plastic to clear PET. It blocks up to 99% of light, from 200 nm to 900 nm.

“Clear PET offers a significantly lower carbon footprint, can be recycled multiple times, and is more broadly accepted by recycling systems,” highlights the company.

“We apply our patented light-blocking coating to the recyclable PET shrink sleeve and print your design with our GreenLabel recycling-compatible inks. Then, you apply the shrink sleeves to your container as usual.”

When the packaging is collected for recycling, Brook and Whittle’s solution correctly sorts it as clear PET and does not contaminate the recycling stream.

“Our proprietary inks and coatings come off the shrink sleeve, creating a clean material that recyclers can process alongside the bottle flake,” highlights the company.

“This valuable material can then be made into new PET packaging, keeping valuable resources in the loop.”

The light-blocking shrink sleeves are printed on rotogravure presses up to fourteen colors.

Expanding bottle-to-bottle circularity
The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) classifies the solution under “meeting or exceeding” the voluntary requirements for APR Design for Recyclability Recognition.

“APR is pleased to recognize Brook and Whittle for their GreenLabel BlockOut, light-blocking shrink sleeves,” says Curt Cozart, chief operating officer at APR.

“With the expansion of the market in light-sensitive beverages, these labels will enable brands to move from opaque and dark PET bottles to clear PET bottles while still protecting their product,” he continues.

“This is a considerable improvement for the industry that will increase the amount of clear PET coming to reclaimers and allow for more bottle-to-bottle circularity.”

Widely recyclable on PET bottles
Additionally, How2Recycle’s evaluation has pre-qualified the shrink sleeve as widely recyclable on eligible ­clear PET bottles.

How2Recycle is a standardized labeling system that clearly communicates recycling instructions to the public. It aims to make recycling “easier and more transparent” by providing consistent and accurate information on how to recycle various types of packaging.

“We are honored to receive this important recyclability recognition from the APR and How2Recycle label pre-qualification,” says Mark Pollard, CEO of Brook and Whittle.

“Our team has worked tirelessly to develop a solution that addresses the critical need for recyclable packaging while ensuring product integrity. This recognition validates our efforts and reinforces our commitment to sustainability and responsible innovation.”

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