Empack 2023: Reynders presents shrink sleeves for cans to boost consumer recycling

06 Apr 2023 --- Label printing company Reynders is showcasing its shrink-sleeve solutions at this year’s Empack trade show, April 5-6, in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands. The sleeves can be easily separated from cans by consumers after use to facilitate recycling. 

On the show floor, PackagingInsights is speaking to Martijn Hendal, product specialist at Reynders about the challenges for can recycling and what roles consumer education and national regulations play to enhance recycling outcomes. 

“Shrink-sleeves can easily get separated from their containers – here, from cans. It is important to educate consumers to separate the sleeve from the container when disposing of the cans,” he asserts. 

Consumer education: The hard part 
Educating consumers is the hard part for making recycling a success, says Hendal. “We have to make sure the consumer knows that they have to do their part to help the environment – not the producers.”

The Reynders booth at Empack 2023.“We [the producers] only can help them [the consumers] and show them several ways to separate packaging waste but they have to do it,” he highlights.

However, the question of how consumers can get incentivized to recycle remains.

“We are all experiencing high energy costs. Households make sure they turn off the lights when possible, they don’t turn on the radiators but buy wood to heat up their houses,” says Hendal.

“We need to make consumers aware that the environmental crisis is happening now. Not tomorrow and not for their children.”

At Empack 2023, Reynders is also showcasing its wood-based PP material converted from plants. It is a plastic label produced from plants. 

Furthermore, it is presenting its clean flake material which is also a plastic material, self-adhesive with the label separating from the container when heated during a waste separation process. 

Producer and government incentives
Hendal says that producers are supporting consumers with recycling through initiatives such as little phrases such as, Thank you for helping the environment, written on cans that become apparent once the sleeve has been pulled off. 

He explains that nowadays, there are too many recycling logos on packaging. “Every producer invents their own logo. A logo is good but it needs to be standardized.”

Since April 1, the Netherlands has had a national waste contribution for cans. A deposit of €0.15 (US$0.16) is now charged for all cans for water, soft drinks, beer and other low alcoholic drinks.

The scheme was launched on Monday in Almere, where the first deposit can was handed in at a Plus supermarket. The government is required to ensure that 90% of cans are recycled. The scheme was due to be extended from January 1, but the launch date was postponed because of administrative difficulties.

“There is a specific logo on every can that consumers can recognize easily, determined by the Dutch government,” notes Hendal.From left to right: Reynders’ clean flake and wood-based material solutions.

“I think when governments tell producers they have to use certain logos, it will help facilitate recycling – otherwise it won’t,” Hendal adds.

National regulation differences
Reynders’ product specialist calls for Europe-wide regulations. “Now we have can collection in the Netherlands, but not in Belgium. In France it exists and in Germany it has existed for ten years.”

“We really have to think internationally. There should be a global can recycling procedure – the environment is global,” he asserts.

Hendal continues by saying the reason for differences across EU member states with regard to recycling regulations is money. 

“The Dutch waste contributor is regulated by the government which follows strict regulations and requires several certificates. If you do a similar company in other European countries, they might not need any certificates in order to work, use other cameras and ways of packaging waste separation.”

Hendal concludes that standardized and Europeanized waste regulations will be one of the biggest challenges to overcome over the next ten years.

By Natalie Schwertheim