New Recyclable Paper Labels, 1999 Recycling Symposium Proceedings

Akira Kunihiro, Atsushi Otsuka, Kenji Suzuki, Kazuyoshi Wakata

Oji Paper Co.,LTD.

It is well known that Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (PSA) products such as labels and tape are generally undesirable for recycling papers because the adhesive is not dispersed and the stickiness remains in the treatment system of the recovered paper. Furthermore, if pulps containing these sticky materials are used, it can cause many problems for papermaking systems.

We have obtained a new PSA from a recently developed technique for adhesive manufacturing. This new PSA is

water re-dispersible and is removable from the treatment system through a thickening and/or Deinked Pulp (DIP)

process. Moreover, the stickiness of re-dispersed particles of adhesive coatings disappears in water.

At present, recyclable paper labels that we have developed are used for supplements filed in magazines. The returned magazines with recyclable paper labels are used for the raw material needed for the middle ply of paperboard.