In order to promote sustainability in the label and package printing industry, more than 50 member companies have joined a new Consortium, CELAB. 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.

L&NW recently sat down with Kyle Rhodes, president of CELAB North America and Elkem Silicones Americas’ marketing manager, release coatings and PSAs, to learn more about the organization.

L&NW: How did CELAB get started, and what is the mission?
Kyle Rhodes: In 2020, we launched CELAB (Circular Economy for Labels) as an industry consortium to build a platform for recycling solutions within the labeling and self-adhesive industry. The goal of the 50+ companies that have started and joined CELAB is to enhance and promote the recycling of both the release liner and the matrix. The release liner typically uses excellent quality virgin fiber, which is highly desirable to put back into the paper recycling streams. This collection of companies includes large label manufacturers, converters, paper manufacturers, recyclers, adhesive suppliers, liner manufacturers, and silicone manufacturers, so there is a wealth of knowledge and experience to draw upon. 

CELAB members have come together to promote current and new recycling options in the market by bringing awareness, connecting waste generators with existing recycling streams, and exploring technical solutions to overcome hurdles.  

L&NW: What are the biggest hurdles when dealing with recycling and sustainability in our industry?
KR: One of the biggest hurdles is connecting waste generators, at either the converter level, label applicator level or brand owner level with existing recycling streams of paper mills that are equipped and comfortable taking in material with silicone release coatings on them. Recyclers and paper mills vary based on the desired end product being made, and will set criteria on what is and is not acceptable on a contaminant level. Some of these recycling streams consider silicone, or silicone and adhesive, as a contaminant, and could reject an entire shipment of paper if small amounts of release liner are present.

Other mills and recyclers see the value of these high-quality fibers found in Super Calendared Craft, Glassine, CCK, or any of the other paper types typically found in label and tape applications, and can adjust the process to allow them to handle removal is needed. CELAB North America and CELAB Europe are working on creating easy to use websites that will allow companies that are starting on the path of recycling to connect them with recycling networks that are able to work with siliconized liner.

Another hurdle that we see is the desire to adopt a recycling plan, but not knowing how and where to start. Our goal as a consortium is to encourage and promote recycling around the world, through education, networking, and science. We are developing tools, case studies, white papers, sharing of experiences, and applying our industry knowledge to address some of the obstacles that companies face today.

L&NW: How do companies get involved in CELAB?
KR: CELABglobal.org is a great place to start. It offers resources, information, and information on becoming a member. We are also closely aligned with TLMI, which is an organization dedicated to supporting the label industry, and has members that are focused on sustainability and recycling. CELAB companies are engaged in collaborative projects to explore and expand the technology around these topics, which will help their own company, their customers, and ultimately to be better stewards of our environment.

L&NW: What is the communication process like for companies in CELAB?
KR: Our workstreams are split into different specialties, led by dedicated individuals that volunteer their time to focus on technical issues, establishing the recycling network and communication back to the industry. It is a unique experience to have competitors, customers and vendors all setting at the same table, engaging and volunteering their time, as it is the right thing to do for the industry. 

If a topic is identified to be explored further, volunteering companies will work together to answer a question and bring it back to the community. We also ask guest speakers to present on various topics that help to further increase the knowledge of member companies. Using the collective mindshare of all of the member companies around the world allows us to dive into both existing and new technology that may be applicable.  

L&NW: What kind of interest in sustainability are you and your members seeing from converters?
KR: As a group, we are recognizing a much higher level of interest in recycling, sustainability, and environmental stewardship around the world.  We are seeing interest from the brand owners, and large retail chains. We are seeing interest all the way to the consumer level that people are more conscious about the decisions they are making, and the impact on the environment. 

Legislation around the world is evolving to look at cradle to grave management. Label companies have reached out around the globe, interested in starting chapters in various locations in Asia, and South America. This level of interest flows all the way upstream to the chemical manufacturers and paper mills around the world, and each company approaches sustainability in their own way. CELAB allows us to come together as a collective industry and start to address these issues where we can. 

L&NW: What future do you envision for both CELAB and the industry when dealing with sustainability?
CELAB is a young organization, but it is sponsored by experienced companies dedicated to furthering recycling of release liners and matrix. It is exciting to see passionate people within the industry working together to improve the sustainability and reduce the impact on our environment.  Sometimes the right message has to be heard at the right time, with the right people willing to listen. With the world view focusing more and more on sustainability, now is that time to take action and make a difference.