Over the past six months, RecyClass has released several protocols to reflect evolving industry needs and ensure harmonised recyclability assessment procedures. This includes the Recyclability Evaluation Protocol for labels applied on PS containers, the Recyclability Evaluation Protocol for inks applied on PET bottle decorations and the Recyclability Evaluation Protocol for EPS Fish Boxes and White Goods.
RecyClass Technical Committees are undertaking further work on the recyclability of labels and adhesives across other streams, which will result in the publication of new protocols during the year.
The RecyClass Design for Recycling Guidelines continue to evolve, offering updated criteria for specific packaging materials to improve recyclability across the value chain. For HDPE containers, PP closures representing up to 10 wt% of the packaging weight are now considered fully compatible thanks to the progress in flake sorting technology. For PE films, EVOH is now considered fully compatible up to 5 wt%, provided it meets a specific EVOH:tie layer ratio. When it comes to the full set of RecyClass Guidelines, non-bleeding inks have been renamed as retentive inks to reflect the most commonly used terminology.
