As part of UPM Raflatac’s multi-sensory booth experience at Labelexpo Americas, attendees can learn more about the Ocean Action Label, made from ocean-bound plastic waste; sustainable films, including UPM Raflatac Forest Film; PP PCR and PET PCR materials; UPM Raflatac RAFNXT+, verified by the Carbon Trust to help mitigate climate change and selected products certified as CarbonNeutral; and Renewal Hemp material made with FSC certified paper and recycled fibres.
UPM Raflatac is the first company in the world to invest in Ocean Bound Plastics (OBP) waste as label raw material in its new Ocean Action labels. The Ocean Action labels are made from ocean-bound plastic using a mass balance approach. Ocean-bound plastic is abandoned plastic waste recovered from areas up to 50km inland from waterways, defined as ‘at risk of ending up in the ocean’.
OBPCert has estimated that ocean-bound plastic generates 80% of plastic marine litter. Today, only around 10% of plastic waste globally gets recycled, while the rest ends up in landfills, incineration and leakage into nature or oceans. One solution to this problem lies in creating markets for products made from ocean-bound plastic.
“The new innovative Ocean Action label material is the latest step in our beyond fossils journey. It does not only help prevent plastic waste from ending up in the oceans but also offers brand owners the possibility to meet their recycled content targets for packaging. The Ocean Action label material is an easy-to-use drop-in solution created especially for food and cosmetics end uses as it has exactly the same performance as the current fossil-based labels,” says Eliisa Laurikainen, Business Development Manager from UPM Raflatac.
The Ocean Action label material is available as White and Clear Top Coated PP films with RP37, RF37, and RP74 adhesives, PET 23 PCR and glassine liners. These label materials are a perfect fit for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) such as household goods, personal care, packaged foods and beverages.
