BEFORE THE PANDEMIC HIT
in 2020, consumers were
moving away from single-
use plastics. Reusable
beverage containers and
canvas shopping bags were
becoming commonplace. But
COVID-19 and hygiene
concerns have reminded us
that plastic disposables and
packaging can still play an
important role in our everyday
lives—especially if they’re
made from recyclable
materials.
Food items that used
to be sold loose are nowindividually wrapped. Takeout
orders come with labels
vouching for their tamper-
proof preparation. But where
all the extra packaging and
labeling comes from—and
where it ends up—could de-
termine whether a company
reaches its environmental
goals. Using recycled plastic
could make all the diff erence.
With that in mind, Avery
Dennison, a Glendale, Calif.–based public company with
$7 billion in sales, makes its
pressure-sensitive labeling
materials from components
that are easily separated into
pure streams of recycled raw
material.
“ The most important
thing is that the packaging
doesn’t end up in the land-
fi ll,” says Jeroen Diderich,
vice president and general
manager of Avery Dennison’slabel and graphic materials
division in North America.
But recycling also requires
infrastructure. That’s why
Avery Dennison is spearhead-
ing a consortium of suppliers
and customers that’s making
it easier for brands to choose
sustainable materials. It’s
also investing $5 million in
RoadRunner Recycling, which
is launching a program to help
label makers achieve their
zero-waste goals.
“ We’re not only focus-
ing on providing solutions
ourselves, but we’re also
reaching out and provid-
ing collaboration with other
players in the ecosystem,”
Diderich says.
As the pandemic contin-
ues to change nearly every
industry, plastics are proving
they still have a place—just
not in the landfi ll. ■CONTENT FROM AVERY DENNISONSINGLE-USE SUSTAINABILITY
How recyclable
plastics can help
protect human
health—and
the planet.
averydennison.comSustainable solutions made possible by
Collaborave.
Sustainable.
Circular.
As a global leader in materials
science, Avery Dennison is rising to
the challenges facing our industry
and our planet, championing
innovaon, responsibility, and
greater collaboraon throughout
our supply chain to advance
circular system soluons that
enable packaging recyclability and
eliminate waste.