Circular composting? Avery Dennison achieves OK Compost certification for thermal labeling

21 Jul 2020 --- Global materials science company Avery Dennison has achieved OK Compost certification for its thermal label adhesive material. Addressing a “significant shortfall in supply” for compostable thermal materials, the newly obtained European EN13432 standard is also accepted in many countries outside of Europe. This move comes as consumer pressure for more sustainable materials is “likely to continue.”

“[Environmentally] sustainable development should first look at avoiding the usage of materials. Then at the reduction of materials, using recycled content and design for recycling. We have to think beyond the point of use, into the afterlife and after use. Composting is one of the potential ways of recycling,” Luuk Zonneveld, Product Manager Select Solutions at Avery Dennison, tells PackagingInsights. 

“Adhesive engineering is one of our core capabilities. We’re taking a wholly new approach to product development right now because we see a real need for change in our industry. On a global level, labels and packaging legislation is more focused than ever on sustainability,” he adds.

The testing procedure
The European Waste Framework Directive and the Packaging Waste Directive are some of the legislation that brands need to comply with, Zonneveld continues, and which clearly support the adoption of compostable packaging and the labels applied to that. To claim compostability on-pack, Avery Dennison’s packaging had to pass a laborious third-party testing procedure for disintegration, biodegradation and (non-)toxicity, which is delineated in the EN 13432:2000 standard.

Click to EnlargeThe time, equipment and analysis needed make certification costly, says Zonneveld.“There are few independent third-party organizations that can perform the testing and provide a ‘suitable for composting’ logo. The testing can take up to six months and the time, equipment and analysis needed make certification costly. We can now finally claim success,” Zonneveld affirms.

The resulting material, BW099, uses a proprietary facestock/adhesive combination and at 2 m width, it is Bisphenol A (BPA)-free and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified. Its main application will be labeling compostable food packaging and compostable plastic bags, especially last-minute direct printed labels for fruit and vegetables that are weighed and packed by consumers in the supermarket.

Compostables: Really that eco-friendly?
In a previous interview, marine preservation activist group Surfrider told PackagingInsights that compostable materials are not necessarily as environmentally friendly as they claim to be because they are not always composted in the intended manner, which just creates additional waste. 

Zonneveld concurs, stating that “any material needs to be disposed of in a proper way – collected, sorted and recycled in the intended manner – to be environmentally friendly. Compostable materials are not an exception.”

He adds that responsibility lies with brands, retailers and producers to educate consumers on proper packaging disposal. This also includes government and certification bodies to provide suitable legal frameworks and infrastructure – “including harmonized information, credentials and testing in the EU and infrastructure to facilitate collection and compostability of the materials.”

According to a TIPA survey from March, 98 of 100 surveyed UK government MPs agree that “compostable packaging alternatives can be part of the solution to the plastic crisis.” In the same month, however, Tesco rejected compostable packaging from its preferred materials list as UK compostable packaging collection remains limited. Meanwhile, the leader of the UK Plastics Pact WRAP released new guidance to address confusion over compostable plastic packaging. 

“We have to recognize that every country has specific legislation that labels and packaging materials have to comply with. For example, the ban of single-use plastic bags in Italy drives the need for compostable alternatives. Legislation will definitely drive a broader adoption of compostable products in the years ahead,” Zonneveld predicts.

With an eye on future developments, Zonneveld states that Avery Dennison already has work “well underway” to expand its compostable range with more certified products, as demand for sustainable packaging increases.

By Anni Schleicher

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