

During the user group meeting, the following question was raised: “Silicone-coated materials, like glassine, have become a significant waste issue due to their inability to be recycled. Is there a way to address this challenge?"
Glassine is a smooth, glossy paper known for its resistance to air, water and grease. After being coated with silicone, it serves as an essential backing for self-adhesive labels. This sector is experiencing significant growth, prompting companies such as Ahlstrom and UPM to significantly increase their glassine production capacity. However, glassine poses a challenge to the paper recycling process. The fibres in glassine are highly refined, making it unsuitable for reuse as they tend to be washed away during the recycling process. In response, UPM has developed a process to collect glassine paper from consumers and effectively remove the silicone layer, making it easier to recycle.
Seenons Belgium, a proactive participant in the GRACE guidance group, has devised an innovative solution. They collect glassine paper from a Flemish label printer and ship it to France, where it is transformed into building materials.
For further details, reach out to Wouter Tack, the Country Manager for Belgium at Seenons Belgium.

Fig. Glassine-base layer topped with self-adhesive labels. (Courtesy: WIN stickers, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20770435)