Henkel: RecyClass certified for recyclability of adhesives

Two adhesives in Henkel's Loctite Liofol RE range for flexible packaging are RecyClass certified for full compatibility with existing recycling processes for polyethylene (PE)
.
The development of these adhesives ensures that flexible packaging can be recycled into higher quality plastics and enables better second-life options in a variety of applications
.
This is a key milestone in achieving greater sustainability and creating a circular economy
.

RecyClass is a comprehensive cross-industry initiative that advances the recyclability of plastic packaging and ensures traceability and transparency of the recycled plastic content in Europe
.
The organization aims to establish a unified method for calculating recycled content through activities such as rigorous scientific testing and certification of innovative materials
.

Guilherme Fernandes, Senior Manager of Product Development for Henkel Polyurethanes, explained: "To achieve RecyClass certification, our innovative solvent-free adhesives underwent extensive testing in accordance with rigorous scientific protocols, confirming their suitability for packaging recycling processes
.
Henkel's solution The solution has been tested by the RecyClass PO Film Technical Committee
.
During the evaluation, it was examined how different solvent-free composite adhesives affect the performance of the recycled LDPE film layers
.

The results confirmed that both solvent-free laminations were fully compatible with the existing industrial recycling process for polyethylene flexible materials in Europe
.
In addition, the use of these two adhesives does not have any negative impact on the quality of the recycled material and has been shown to be "suitable for high-quality applications" such as PE blown films up to 25%
.

Alexander Bockisch, Head of Market Strategy for Henkel Flexible Packaging, said: "Our Loctite Liofol RE range of adhesives is designed to make packaging more recyclable
.
Our adhesives are certified for RecyClass technology, which gives packaging designers the opportunity to use truly recycling-compliant adhesives.
The packaging components create greater transparency
.
"