The Association of Plastic Recyclers’ Meets Preferred Guidance (MPG) program has recognized New Kensington, Pa.-based Yerecic Label for its complete label construction applied to PET packaging.
Yerecic Label said in a news release that its new SustainLabel MPG label construction “ensures confirmation of the technical compatibility of a pressure sensitive label with today’s industrial plastics recycling processes for PET per the MPG program protocol.”
The MPG program recognizes materials, components and complete packages that are considered “preferred” in the APR Design Guide for Plastics Recyclability. For companies committed to using post-consumer recycled resin (PCR) in their plastic products, using plastic packaging that meets the guide’s design principles contributes to the availability of high-quality recycled plastic, according to the release.
“Over the years, we have focused our efforts on reducing our environmental impact within our own walls,” Yerecic Label President Art Yerecic said in the release. “To help build a better tomorrow, Yerecic Label is committed to extending that impact to our customers and end-users.”
The company says it contributes to the recycling stream through its SustainLabel as the market pushes for more product packaging with recycled material to help meet sustainability goals.
“Understanding how labels can negatively impact the recycling stream and how that impact can be remedied is a passion for us,” Yerecic Label’s Director of Business Development and Sustainability Elizabeth Yerecic said in the release. “Poor package design leads to contamination in the recycling stream, which impacts not only the recyclers but also the companies who have made commitments to manufacture and source sustainable packaging.”
Yerecic Label says it wants to encourage brand owners to actively explore sustainable packaging alternatives with suppliers and to design for recycling whenever possible, even if the stream does not yet exist. Such initiatives are another step closer to a circular economy for plastics in packaging, the company said in the release.
“Our congratulations go out to Yerecic Label for being early adopters of the MPG program and achieving the first MPG certification for a complete label construction applied to PET packaging,” Steve Alexander, president and CEO of the Association of Plastic Recyclers, said in the release. “We are pleased to see the amount of interest the MPG program is receiving and look forward to announcing continued expansion of eligible items for the program.”
More information on Yerecic Label’s MPG recognition is available at YLfresh.com/Sustainability or by contacting YLMarketing@yereciclabel.com.
