The search for suitable material

Environmental and climate protection are among the most important issues of our time. The future is green and experts agree: only a functioning Kreislaufwirtschaft recycling economy can solve our environmental problems. The  "Circular Print®" Upcycling Process developed by Renner Print Media fulfils precisely this requirement.

An Interview with Kurt Hauser and Daniel Linzmayr, the Managing Directors of Renner Print Media.

Why is the issue of sustainability suddenly so important?

Kurt Hauser: Humanity is facing major ecological challenges. No one wants to be complicit in climate change, insect mortality, marine pollution or the waste of valuable resources. We must protect our environment and natural resources. Especially plastic products and the associated waste problems have become a major issue in recent years. This therefore also affects plant labels produced by Renner Print Media. The end customers demand sustainable products. We must respond to these needs.

Can a producer of plant labels do something about the environmental problems?

Kurt Hauser: Our radius of action is of course limited and we are just as much subject to economic constraints. Let's talk figures: 87% of oil is used for energy, heating and transport. The share for all plastic packaging is only 1.5%. So the share for plant labels is in the per thousand range. Nevertheless, we too can make a contribution. It is only important that we do not waste our attention on false measures that only soothe our conscience. Unfortunately, this is exactly what can be observed with regard to plastic products. Companies see themselves forced to somehow respond to what could almost be called a plastic phobia on the part of the consumers. All too often, they come up with quick-fix responses in the form of wrong solutions. Greenwashing is the latest craze. 

Daniel Linzmayr: Yes, that is exactly it. A wrong solution would be for example, to replace plastic with a substitute material that is in fact hardly better for the environment. An example: plastic is better than paper for fruit and vegetable bags. The paper version has a 50% larger CO2 footprint than the extremely thin plastic bag. Greenpeace also believes that replacing plastic with paper makes no sense. Unfortunately, few people are aware of this. 

But what about the plastic product waste problem?

Daniel Linzmayr: Plastic takes much longer to biodegrade than paper. After all, it is also much more robust. However, whether printed plastic or paper waste, proper disposal is key. We have to improve our waste disposal and recycling quotas in general. Used plastics are eminently suitable for recycling. This waste should not merely be exported to poorer countries without any knowledge of what happens to it there.

Does plastic recycling actually make sense?

Daniel Linzmayr: Most definitely. Recycling means that the energy of the oil is used several times. This saves up to 80% of energy. In addition, new material is avoided. This conserves our natural resources. And enormous amounts of CO2 are saved. This is good for our climate. Waste incineration makes the least sense. It is inefficient compared to reuse. So the primary goal is not to waste new raw materials and to no longer produce new waste. 

How could the recycling quotas be improved?

Daniel Linzmayr: Besides an efficient waste disposal system, we primarily need products that are well-suited for recycling. The motto here is „designed for recycling“. This means that the subsequent disposal and recycling must already be taken into account at the product development stage. When it comes to plant labels, for example, the ink and varnish content must be kept as low as possible. In order to achieve this, we have invested in improved varnishing equipment and a state-of-the-art colour management system. We have done our homework in this respect. We also recommend that the reverse of stick-in labels should be plain black only, for instance. This also helps.

What material are recyclable plant labels made of?

Kurt Hauser: Only a pure plastic material should be used for the manufacture of absolutely weatherproof labels, rather than composites which cannot be recycled later on. We should also never use materials for which there is no disposal concept whatsoever in place. The question is therefore which type of plastic best meets the sustainability factors? This is polypropylene (PP).

What exactly makes PP labels sustainable?

Kurt Hauser: PP has one of the lowest carbon footprints. Unlike PVC or PS, it has no impact on the environment as it does not release any harmful substances into the environment. That is also why PP is used for food packaging. And of course, it is 100 % recyclable. The properties of PP are also easy to modify. For instance, there is an extremely stiff PP film for stick-in labels, and a highly elastic PP is available for carry handles. Such modifications cannot be achieved with PS, for example. For that reason, we use only PP for our products. This one-type only approach leads us to the next important sustainability factors. This is where the Kreislaufwirtschaft circular economy comes into it. 

Before we talk about the circular economy issue, what are your thoughts on the so-called stone paper?

Daniel Linzmayr: It isn‘t actually paper. It‘s a polymer with a high powdered limestone content. A cheap filling material. It should really be called stone plastic. The material disintegrates when it is exposed to direct sunlight over time, and microplastics are released into the environment. Printed stone paper can neither be recycled like paper, nor like plastic. It is therefore waste that cannot be recycled at all. This contradicts the circular economy *Link* concept. It is a disposable material. Plus, the powdered limestone makes „stone paper“ very heavy. This increases the amount of energy that is needed to transport it, and as it sinks in water, most recycling plants cannot process it, which is exactly what should be avoided

What about bioplastics?

Daniel Linzmayr: This is a rather confusing issue, as there is no standard definition for the term „bioplastic“. I would like to address two points. Firstly, people are under the impression that bioplastics are more „natural“ because they are made from plant-based materials. In fact, the majority of bio-based plastic products currently still contain some fossil plastics. This is consumer deception. The plant-based content is derived from agricultural crops. Greenpeace argues, quite justifiably, that these compete with food crops and therefore threaten food security. Did you know that the production of agricultural raw materials is already the global number one cause for the deforestation and destruction of habitats?

Secondly, many consumers believe that bioplastics are biodegradable. If at all, this only applies to extremely thin films. However, most biopolymers can only be degraded at an industrial scale. And there are very few such industrial processing plants. Besides, I am actually not aware of any collection or waste separation system specifically designed for biopolymers. These products simply end up in a landfill somewhere. If they are thrown into the bins together with packaging that is destined to be recycled, they cause huge problems. Elaborately produced and extremely expensive materials are therefore not reused. They are not recycled. Some plant labels are used for a very long time. Consumers want to leave the labels on the plants permanently as markers. However, after a while, biopolymers do fall apart into lots of small pieces, and it is exactly this microplastic waste that should be avoided. In short, biopolymers have certainly not yet been thought through to the end.

Why not simply use paper for plant labels?

Kurt Hauser: Of course, we are aware of the fact that paper has good eco-credentials. That is also why we became involved in the development of an FSC®-certified wet strength paper. We call this product our „paper label“. It is suitable for stick-in labels as well as hanging tags. From 2020 onwards, our „paper label“ product will also be available in a grass paper version. This design paper looks particularly natural in combination with bamboo sticks. Our graphic designers love it. However, stick-in labels, carry handles, pot sleeves, shrub labels etc. all call for a much higher wet strength and tear resistance. There is no real alternative to plastic. Paper consists of plant fibres and can therefore never be fully waterproof. It must not come into permanent direct contact with soil. Extremely high wet strength „papers“ usually have a plastic coating or contain some kind of polymer. That‘s hazardous waste. So we also need to be honest with ourselves when it comes to paper. Paper production causes major environmental damage and accelerates climate change. Our natural forests should not shrink even more simply due to paper production. In future, the reforestation of formerly forested areas will be of major importance in terms of carbon reduction. (More information about the material Paperlabel can be found hier.) 

Will we be able to do completely without plant labels at some point in the future?

Kurt Hauser: I don‘t think so and, of course, I also hope we won‘t be able to. Labelling makes an important contribution to the purchasing decision. However, it not only provides a purchasing incentive but also communicates information about the product and the price. Plant fans mostly tend to retain plant labels or leave them on the plants. Even just considering the plant passport legislation, we can safely assume that the demand for labels will actually increase. The direction this will be going in is clear. The aim must be the establishment of an efficient circular economy. All of the experts agree that only a circular economy Kreislaufwirtschaft can solve our environmental problems. 

You have mentioned the „circular economy“ several times now. What does it actually mean?

Kurt Hauser: Products are designed in such a way that all of their constituent materials can be part of the material cycle from beginning to end, i.e. from their initial manufacture and later use to their disposal. The waste products can therefore be used to manufacture products of the same quality. So this is not Downcycling. In this way, valuable plastics are recycled several times over. The recycled waste replaces completely new plastic materials, which also saves huge amounts of energy and CO2. The circular economy Kreislaufwirtschaft is therefore the highest level of recycling. You don‘t just buy in any old recycled material. One of the key aspects of a circular economy is that all materials in the loop are fully traceable. Print waste poses a really major technical challenge in this respect.

What is this challenge that print waste poses with regard to the circular economy?

Daniel Linzmayr: Label production generates around 30 % of scraps Stanzabfälle. As we produce exclusively on PP, this waste is pure, i.e. it consists of one type of plastic only. That is a precondition for producing a high-quality recycled material. The inks and varnishes are the problem. They are contaminants that disintegrate into highly outgassing components and also cause safety- related issues. Print production calls for homogeneous and extremely high-quality films. These highly volatile degradation products lead to the formation of small bubbles and to surface imperfections in the material that make it unsuitable for reprinting.

Has Renner Print Media managed to overcome this problem with the inks and varnishes?

Daniel Linzmayr: Yes we have. As a result of interdisciplinary research work in collaboration with university-based institutions and recycling specialists, we have managed to develop an Upcycling-Verfahren. In this process the substances are rendered inert with chemicals, meaning that they become permanently bonded. The quality level can also be maintained throughout numerous cycles. Our regranulate is fully REACH-kompatibel and meets the VOC-Richtlinien. This means that in future, all printed plastics, not just ours, can be fully recycled and become part of a circular economy. Our new material is therefore called „Circular PP“. 

How does „Circular PP“ differ from other recycled materials?

Kurt Hauser: Similarly to recycled paper, the grey shade of our Circular PP indicates genuine sustainability. The grey colour comes from the bonded inks. Print products that are pure white can never be based on material that is part of a circular economy. We believe that the sustainability must be transparently communicated to our customers. We are therefore aiming for a „Circular Print“ certification. See www.circular-print.eu for more information. In short, this independent certification guarantees a documented loop. The „Circular Print“ certificate can also be printed on the labels together with the other information. In this respect, we are pioneers in our sector.

Can the sustainability of Circular PP also be measured?

Daniel Linzmayr: Ideally, Circular PP produces around 2,200kg of CO2 less per tonne, compared to completely new material. This already equals 120kg of CO2 for only 10,000 average labels. Fifteen million kg of CO2 could be saved if all labels in Austria and Germany were printed on Circular PP in future. In terms of volume, this equals approx. 100 million medium-sized rubbish bags. It would take 16,000 trees 80 years to capture this amount of carbon. It also saves energy, and means that less new materials are produced, which already meets the 2030 EU guidelines for the circular economy Kreislaufwirtschaft. As I said, if we strictly pursue the path of a circular economy, we are meeting our responsibility for this world and for future generations. I am totally convinced of this.

So is Circular PP made from post-consumer materials?

Kurt Hauser: In reality, it‘s all a matter of definition. Print waste could certainly be called a post-consumer material. After all, it contains many contaminants. An extremely high-quality regranulate is needed for the manufacture of printable films. You can‘t just use any old post-consumer regranulate, which, by the way, is actually also quite scarce. There are clearly technical limits here. Much lower quality materials can be used for plant pots. When it comes to the printing industry, the frequently voiced demand for post-consumer materials must therefore be examined in a little more detail.

If Circular PP contains 30 % of your production waste, what are the other 70 %?

Daniel Linzmayr: That‘s right. We add filling materials and waste from external sources to make up the other 70 %. This waste also undergoes our Upcycling-Verfahren eingesetzt. The requisite material flows are already in place. The demand for recycling material has greatly increased. What‘s on offer is extremely limited, which is why the prices already exceed those of completely new materials. So you have to stay realistic. In all likelihood, we will not be able to manage without any completely new materials at all in the future.

From when onwards will Circular PP be available to your customers?

Kurt Hauser: Full-scale industrial production will commence in late 2020. This means that larger quantities of Circular PP will then be available for the 2021 plant season. Only limited quantities will be available until then. For planning purposes, it will therefore be unavoidable that our customers place their orders in advance.

Was empfehlen Sie Ihren Kunden, bis Circular ­PP in vollem Umfang zur Verfügung steht?

Kurt Hauser: A limited quantity will already be available in 2020. We are being completely open with our customers in this respect. We do not want to make promises that we can‘t keep. What is important is to not rely on wrong alternatives now. Better wait and then do things properly. Of course, there are already some recycled materials available, along with our Paperlabel for stick-in and hanging labels.

How do you intend to communicate the benefits of Circular PP to the end customers?

Kurt Hauser: Precisely that is the purpose of the „Circular Print“ quality label. It can be printed onto the respective labels together with all the other information. The end customers can find very detailed, independent information on www. circular-print.eu. We also recommend information boards at the PoS. We are happy to provide our customers with extensive facts and data. We can also offer an information video that can be customised on request. So you see, there are various ways in which to inform the end customers.

What else does Renner Print Media have to offer when it comes to environmental protection?

Kurt Hauser: Our primary job is to make people become interested in the plants. We want to bring people a little bit closer to nature again. In these times of monoculture, flowering gardens and balconies are incredibly valuable. We can observe this directly here at our company with our in-house bee colonies. The horticultural sector therefore makes a valuable contribution to the environment, which is, after all, what it is all about. However, I would like to mention a current project: our PV system. We have installed PV panels on every available square metre of our roof area. The hall structure actually had to be reinforced to make this possible. Which, obviously, called for substantial investments. However, we now basically have our own power plant on the roof that generates a large part of the electricity we need. We are also already focusing on our next goal. We intend to become a „carbon neutral“ company. This has now become a feasible idea, particularly thanks to our Circular PP.