As a crucial part of label constructions, release liners serve as a carrier for labels to transfer the label to the final product, and as silicone layers are present on release liners, they become part of the waste stream. Kris Verschueren, Global Market Segment Manager Packaging & Pressure Sensitive Industry from Dow Corning highlights, âCoatings for release liners are a very important solution we offer to the Pressure Sensitive industry. Although we as raw material producers do not generate waste directly, we are conscious about the fact that our customerâs customer and their customer beyond are faced with the fact that once the liner served its purpose, it has to be considered as waste. Dow Corning wants to step up and contribute to the footprint reduction of the self-adhesive labelling industry.â
Founded in 2010, Reculinerâs technology collects paper release liner waste and converts and processes it into loose fibers which can then be used for different end applications. For the use of thermal insulation material, dry fibers can be blown into walls or alternatively sprayed together with a pressure-sensitive adhesive onto walls. This technique (CFI – Cellulose Fiber Insulation) displays very low heat transmission, close to other insulation materials. In comparison to other recycled papers such as newspapers, which are normally used for this process, paper release liners have the advantage of being made of pure virgin fibers, which have not been printed on, and have a more consistent and uniform quality. This leads to a better and cleaner product (e.g. yellow instead of grey) and enhanced processability.
