Canadian packaging giant CCL (Toronto; www.cclind.com) has introduced a low-density recyclable polyolefin sleeve that can be used on polypropylene cups.

German institute Cyclos-HTP (Aachen / Germany; www.cyclos-htp.de) conducted a test showing 92% to 100% of the “EcoFloat” sleeve could be recycled along with the PP cup, allowing for factors such as ink coverage.

Norbert Fenkart, head of development at CCL Label’s dairy packaging hub in Austria, said: “Using a thin plastic sleeve label that is made from the same family as the cup increases the recycling rate. First of all it is detected as the material it is on the sorting lines and can be successfully recycled afterwards.

“Most sleeves tend to be removed due to natural friction and de-sleeving during the recycling process but if it stays on it can also be efficiently recycled,” he added.