With the new technology, packers and brand owners can now have their used release paper recycled at UPM's paper mill deinking plant in Plattling, Germany, instead of sending it to incineration. At the Plattling mill, the liner is de-siliconized and processed into pulp to be used as raw material for UPM's paper products.
"This innovative solution serves the entire industry. We are very happy that our constant aims to minimize solid waste and maximize the reuse of raw materials are coming true also in the label value chain. With 4 million metric tpy of recovered paper, UPM is the world's largest user of recycled fiber in graphic papers, and therefore we have access to various types of recovered papers – now also including release papers. This is truly one part of our Biofore thinking coming alive," said Marko Haveri, portfolio manager, Fine and Specialty Papers.
The UPM Plattling mill has a strong focus on sustainability. "We have invested in sophisticated processes for extracting fibers from demanding recovered paper fractions," explains Operations Director Mika Kämpe. "Siliconized release paper is a natural expansion to our raw material base, and we are therefore able to offer a sustainable recycling solution to the self-adhesive label industry."
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