Henkel Adhesive Technologies has been honored with the FINAT Sustainability Award 2024 in the “Optimisation of recycling” category. The prestigious accolade was awarded during the Sustainable Packaging Summit in Amsterdam. FINAT, the international association representing the European label industry, recognized Henkel’s innovative efforts in creating a sustainable wash-off adhesive that significantly enhances the recycling process for PET bottles.
The long-standing FINAT Sustainability Awards celebrate exceptional sustainability initiatives within the label industry. This year, 28 entries were submitted for the 2024 awards, showcasing a range of innovations from advanced adhesives to new recycling techniques. Henkel captured the award in the “Optimisation of recycling” category for its product, Aquence PS 3017 RE. This water-based acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive is specifically designed for olefinic filmic labels used on PET bottles. The panel of judges acknowledged key benefits such as the low washing temperature applicable to selected label constructions, marking a positive step in energy efficiency, as well as its ability to be used on PET trays and its superior non-water whitening effect on clear labels.
In contrast to conventional adhesives, Aquence PS 3017 RE demonstrates remarkable wash-off efficiency at temperatures as low as 65 degrees Celsius. This capability significantly reduces energy consumption during the recycling process while preserving the purity and value of recycled PET materials. The recyclability of Aquence PS 3017 RE has been certified by the cyclos-HTP institute. Moreover, in addition to complying with the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), this innovative solution meets the increasing demand for food and drink sustainable packaging.
Since its successful introduction at Labelexpo 2023, Aquence PS 3017 RE has garnered significant interest from label manufacturers and brand owners alike. The adhesive has undergone testing on Henkel Consumer Brands’ high-speed labeling systems, achieving rates of up to 300 labels per minute and qualifying for prominent cleaning product brands. “We plan to step up our collaboration with label manufacturers to promote the adhesive’s use in additional applications involving polyolefinic (PO) labels on PET bottles and containers. We also aim to further optimize the product for other packaging solutions,” states Elodie Picard, Head of Sustainability Packaging at Henkel.
