October 27, 2020

4 Min Read
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WASHINGTON -- With a shared goal of creating a sustainable self-adhesive labeling industry, more than 30 companies from around the world today announced the creation of a new Consortium, CELAB: Toward a Circular Economy for LabelsCELAB (Circular Economy for Labels) is an industry initiative, founded by companies in the self-adhesive label industry to create greater circularity for its products by enhancing and promoting matrix and release liner recycling around the world.

Comprising many of the self-adhesive label industry’s largest companies, CELAB will operate as a coalition, empowered to reach across the entire value chain to promote a circular economy for self-adhesive label materials. CELAB is designed to facilitate collaboration at a global level and encourage the universal adoption of best practices while fostering regionally appropriate initiatives and cooperation.

“The moment has arrived to create a globally focused platform for recycling solutions,” said Paul Nathanson, a Senior Principal at Bracewell LLP and spokesperson for CELAB. “Brands are eager to communicate their commitment to sustainability in response to consumer demands to reduce their carbon footprint. With increased recycling capability gradually emerging from suppliers, producers, waste management, chemical recyclers and others, we see a tremendous opportunity to facilitate collaboration with partners up and down our industry’s value chain.”

Due to the wide variance in production processes and recycling capability in different markets, CELAB’s structure includes a Global Steering Committee and regional Branches. The Global Steering Committee sets priorities for the consortium. The regional Branches create work streams on various aspects of matrix and release liner recycling, including analyzing technical issues, promoting the use and creation of recycling networks and solutions, interacting with government regulators, and educating the industry and public. There are currently two regional Branches—one in Europe and one in North America — with plans to form additional regional Branches in the future. Matrix and liner accessibility will be measured in cost difference to landfill, a metric to be established by working teams in each region.

“CELAB is technology- and solution-neutral in order to ensure that the most viable solutions that contribute to sustainability are developed and promoted for matrix and release liner recycling,” said Nathanson. “The Steering Committee is designed to serve as a ‘clearinghouse’ for best practices and solutions developed by the regional Branches and to be promoted globally.”

Membership is open to all companies in the self-adhesive label supply chain who commit to CELAB’s objectives and are willing to help support its work.

For additional information on CELAB and its activities, visit www.celabglobal.org.

A list of GlobalEurope and North America CELAB members can be found on the website and is attached to this press release.

Matrix and Liner Material

Matrix is the unused web, or surrounding area, of the self-adhesive face stock material generated after cutting the labels.

Liner refers to “silicone release liner” - the layer of “base” substrate which is coated with silicone, and from which the label is peeled away during dispensing.

CELAB Global Steering Committee

 

CELAB Europe Members

 

CELAB North America Members

Ahlstrom-Munksjö

 

Ahlstrom-Munksjö

 

Ahlstrom-Munksjö

Avery Dennison Corporation

 

Avery Dennison

 

Association of Plastic Recyclers

BASF Corporation

 

BASF SE

 

Avery Dennison Corporation

Dow Performance Silicones

 

CCL

 

BASF Corporation

Elkem Silicones

 

Delfort

 

Dow Performance Silicones

Henkel

 

Dow Silicones Belgium

 

Elkem Silicones

Loparex LLC

 

Elkem

 

FLEXcon Company

Mactac

 

Evonik

 

Green Bay Packaging

Mondi Group

 

Fedrigoni Group/Arconvert

 

Henkel

Multi-Color Corporation

 

FINAT

 

Innovia Films America, INC

PolyPlex

 

Henkel Iberica

 

Kruger Inc.

UPM Raflatac

 

Herma

 

Loparex LLC

Sappi Europe

 

Lintec

 

Mactac

Siliconature S.P.A.

 

Loparex

 

Mondi Group

 

 

Mitsubishi Polyster Film

 

PolyPlex

 

 

Mondi

 

TLMI

 

 

Siliconature

 

UPM Raflatac

 

 

UPM Raflatac

 

Verso Corporation

 

 

UPM Specialty Papers

 

Wausau Coated Products, Inc.

 

 

Wacker Chemie

 

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