UPM Specialty Papers helps enhance circular economy in self-adhesive label industry

Press Release 18.11.2020 13:00 EET

UPM Specialty Papers joins CELAB-Europe to promote the development of a sustainable and circular business model in the self-adhesive label industry; the target is to ensure that 75% of the used liner and matrix materials in Europe are recycled in a circular fashion by 2025.

“As part of our eco-design approach, UPM actively looks for innovative ways to recycle our products at the end of their life. UPM Specialty Papers is excited to support industry-level initiatives to promote circularity in the self-adhesive label business,” highlights Mikko Rissanen, Director, Technology at UPM Specialty Papers.

UPM Specialty Papers first took a step towards building a circular economy in the self-adhesive label industry by introducing UPM LinerLoopTM in 2018. UPM LinerLoop is a unique concept for recycling release liners; collected release liners are desiliconised and used to produce new high-performance release liner base papers.

“Global brands and our customers want labels that support their goal for more sustainable packaging. Release liner recycling is one way to meet these goals. However, efficient collection of used release liners has been the industry’s biggest barrier to making the transition to a circular economy. We look forward to developing best practices together with other CELAB-Europe members, and promoting these globally in the next stage”.  

About CELAB-Europe
CELAB-Europe is a new initiative designed to create a circular economy for self-adhesive label materials in Europe. By establishing a representative value-chain organisation, CELAB-Europe will work to identify and collectively scale recycling and re-use solutions for the self-adhesive label liner and matrix materials. The initiative aims to develop a sustainable and circular business model for over 75% of the used liner and matrix materials in Europe by 2025.

For additional information on CELAB and its activities, visit http://www.celabglobal.org/.

For further information please contact:
Maarit Relander-Koivisto, Senior Manager, Stakeholder Relations, UPM Specialty Papers, +358 204 15 0223

UPM, Media Relations
Mon-Fri 9:00-16:00 EET
tel. +358 40 588 3284
media@upm.com

UPM SPECIALTY PAPERS
UPM Specialty Papers produces labelling and sustainable packaging materials to global markets and fine papers to Asian markets. Its main customers are paper converters, distributors, retailers and printers. UPM Specialty Papers is an industry leader in sustainable development. Its high performance papers are produced in Finland, China and Germany. UPM Specialty Papers employs approximately 2,000 people globally. www.upmspecialtypapers.com

UPM
We deliver renewable and responsible solutions and innovate for a future beyond fossils across six business areas: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Specialty Papers, UPM Communication Papers and UPM Plywood. As the industry leader in responsibility we are committed to the UN Business Ambition for 1.5°C and the science-based targets to mitigate climate change. We employ 18,700 people worldwide and our annual sales are approximately EUR 10.2 billion. Our shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd. UPM Biofore – Beyond fossils. www.upm.com

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