SATO Corporation, a leader in next-generation automatic identification and labeling solutions, has joined J-ECOL (Japan Earth Conscious Labeling Association) an industry association set up to promote the recycling of used label and sticker release liners.
Stickers and labels are an indispensable part of everyday life for businesses and consumers alike as a means to give items added information. Most labels come with backing liners for protecting their sticky surfaces. After use, these liners typically end up as waste because they are difficult to recycle into raw material for papermaking. As businesses join the circular economy, SATO will promote liner recycling through J-ECOL to reduce the environmental impact and keep labels affordable and accessible in a sustainable future.
SATO is working with the Japan labeling industry to build a recycling model that integrates all companies involved in the value chain (procurement, manufacturing, sales, and collection).
Specifically, we will support resource recycling by acting as an intermediary between companies that provide used release paper (companies that use labels) and recycling companies. SATO will work with J-ECOL members, through two subgroups for promotion and technical matters. The promotion group will promote the recycling of liners while the technical group will study easily recyclable liner paper and propose ways to recycle pulp extracted from the liners. In the future, it will study the horizontal recycling of used liners for reuse as new liners.
(in alphabetical order, as of August 31, 2023)
| Outline of J-ECOL | (Japan Earth Conscious Labeling Association) |
|---|---|
| Location | Tokyo Sticker Printing Hall 3F, 2-25-4 Kita-Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo |
| Representative Director | Tetsuya Takashima |
| Established | May 2023 |
| Main activities |
|
| Website (Japanese only) | https://www.j-ecol.or.jp/ |