Why Removing Labels Before Recycling Plastic Bottles is Important

The Importance of Separating Plastic Labels from Bottles

Contrary to popular belief, recycling plastic is not a simple process.
Plastic bottles and packaging are often covered with labels, which are also made of plastic, instructing to “separate the label and the bottle before recycling.”

Why Should Labels be Removed from Plastic Bottles?

The main function of plastic packaging is to protect its contents, such as food or liquids, from external contamination, ensuring safe transport.
According to packaging design expert Laura Badalucco, the environmental damage caused by product loss outweighs that of unrecycled packaging, especially in the food and electronics sectors.

In an ideal scenario, polymers of different colors should not mix, as recycled plastic transparency standards cannot match those of virgin plastic.
Consequently, mixed colors make plastic recycling unfeasible for the same packaging application, unlike glass and aluminum recycling, which can produce equivalent new packaging.

The Challenge of Recycling Colored Plastic

Separating labels allows recycling plants to correctly sort bottles based on polymer type.
Failure to do so results in the entire packaging being classified as non-recyclable waste destined for incineration.
Some companies find colored plastic unattractive for their products and hide them under colorful labels to maintain brand recognition.

Specialist Luca Stramare explains that the removal of labels enables infrared optical sensors in recycling plants to sort packaging correctly.
Colored plastic poses challenges in mechanical recycling plants, where different polymers must be identified for proper sorting.

How to Recycle Plastic Correctly

Not all plastic can be recycled, and even recyclable plastic may not be processed if not separated correctly before disposal.
To enhance plastic recycling, it is crucial to segregate polymers accurately.
Recognizing the label instructions is essential for proper recycling.

There are six main recyclable polymers on the market, including PET (used in plastic bottles), HDPE (found in bottle caps and detergent bottles), PP (food containers), LDPE (garbage bags), PS (polystyrene), and PVC (resilient material for pipes).

To enhance plastic recycling further, the European Union is considering regulations to increase demand for recycled polymers, potentially leading to investments in underused recycling streams.
The proposed regulations aim to ensure that nothing, including coloration, hinders the recycling process.