Dow lands triple APR certification for adhesive, coating and resin to boost plastic recycling

02 Nov 2021 --- Dow has received recognitions from the international trade organization Association of Plastics Recyclers (APR) for adhesive, coating and resin products.

The materials science company says the set of recognitions, which were granted for solving specific packaging design problems, is an example of how companies should be evolving their products to improve recycling rates and fully circularize the packaging economy.

PackagingInsights speaks with Mike White, senior market manager for adhesives, health and hygiene at Dow. White says the company’s achievements with APR are a step forward in raising globally low recycling rates. 

“Plastic should not be lost as waste, and instead should be part of a circular economy that allows us to retain the value of plastic. When considering recyclability, it’s critical we think about the total package – including adhesives, coatings and films.” 

Studies estimate roughly 9% of plastics ever produced have been recycled. Last year, Closed Loop Partners released estimates that the Canadian and US recycling systems capture just 18% of the countries’ plastic output – a figure Greenpeace puts much lower.

“We’re committed to making plastic packaging more [environmentally] sustainable – and that means we are continually working on innovations that help brand owners and converters offer fully recyclable packaging,” asserts White. 

Ensuring recyclability for every part of packaging products is key to achieving circularity, says Dow.New APR recognitions
The APR recognitions were granted for three individual Dow products: 

• Robond L-90M Adhesive: A water-based, volatile organic-free adhesive used for laminating flexible substrates, most commonly used in food and medical packaging.
• Opulux MC 5004 Coating: Used on polyethylene (PE) films, the coating is a water-based, low-gloss soft-touch coating that provides a matte appearance, superior rub resistance and heat resistance when applied to a variety of substrates. 
• Surlyn Ionomers: Containing a 20% loading in multilayer PE film substrates, the ionomers are used in a wide variety of food and non-food packaging, and pharma and medical packaging applications. 

“The APR recognition for both Robond L-90M Adhesive on PE films and Opulux MC 5004 Coating on PE films is based on the technical recyclability of the two-part, water-based, acrylic/urethane hybrid lamination adhesive used at 2% loading,” explains White.

“It is also based on the hybrid surface coating system used at 3.3% loading.”

Surlyn Ionomers deliver uniform deformation during thermoforming. Their combination of high shrink rate and low shrink force can create a tight draw around a package while maintaining the original shape of more delicate products, he continues. 

“This APR recognition is based on the technical recyclability of the Surlyn Ionimer as a replacement for a common plastomer sealing layer on a PE multilayer substrate and does apply to other Surlyn Ionomer layers in a multilayer structure.”

Extensive review process 
White says the recognitions were awarded following an extensive internal review process. 

“Applying for Critical Guidance recognition is a detailed, time-intensive process. Dow conducted extensive internal reviews of each of the three products to ensure they would be able to pass the APR’s rigorous Critical Guidance process.” 

The APR’s Critical Guidance testing protocols serve as a “well-defined, stringent gold standard for the industry,” he asserts. “The rigorous independent testing they provide helps to ensure confirmation that each innovation is truly fully compatible with the appropriate recycling stream.” 

This year, Scholle IPN also achieved APR recognition for its bag-in-box packaging for water. 

By Louis Gore-Langton