Intro – Use and Misuse of Plastics

There’s no doubt that reducing plastic waste is a priority – for manufacturers, for consumers, and for the planet. Plastic can be tough, lightweight, airtight, watertight, and hygienic – which makes it vital for keeping products safe and secure.

While calls to ban plastic packaging can be well-meaning, the reality is more complex. Plastics are made from polymers – long chains of molecules built from repeating units called monomers. These polymers are blended and processed into different resins, each designed for specific applications.

Polymers can be naturally occurring or synthetically made, and the resins derived from them vary in their recyclability, durability, and environmental impact. That’s why a deeper understanding of polymer types is essential when discussing sustainability – simply saying “plastic” isn’t good enough anymore.

The truth is that plastic plays an essential role in many areas where current alternatives don’t measure up. The term “plastic” is often used as a catch-all, but in reality, it refers to a wide range of materials with unique properties. Usage and disposal habits also change.

To bring clarity to this complexity, the Resin Identification Code (RIC) system was developed in 1988. It classifies plastics into seven categories based on the type of resin used. This internationally recognised standard helps with sorting materials and improving recycling efficiency.

“By recycling plastic, we are giving the material the best chance to have a new life, keeping it in use and out of the environment.”

https://www.recyclenow.com/how-to-recycle/is-recycling-plastics-worth-it

Polymers are durable, cost-effective, and easy to process – making them the go-to material for everything from packaging to point-of-sale displays. However, those same qualities have also contributed to their overuse and mismanagement.

In order to understand and optimise plastic use in printing, it is useful to understand what plastic is, why some plastics have preferable attributes than others for the given application, as well as to consider what will happen throughout the materials life cycle. These rules apply to any recycled plastic print process – litho, digital, web or gravure.

Material choices evolve over time, influenced by factors such as raw material costs, production efficiency, and now – increasingly – recyclability. New regulations like the Plastic Packaging Tax, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and Packaging Recovery Notes (PRNs) are driving demand for more sustainable solutions and greater accountability throughout the supply chain.

These initiatives predominantly encourage the use of recyclable plastic printing through the ‘correct’ choice of polymer type and design for recyclability to reduce plastic waste. WRAP provide clear guidelines on which plastics to avoid:

https://www.wrap.ngo/what-we-do/prevent-problem-plastics

The Sustainability Trade-Off

Replacing plastic with materials like paper, glass or aluminium might seem like the obvious solution – but it’s not always the greener one. Every material comes with its own environmental footprint. Glass and metal don’t break down in the environment either – most materials can be problematic if not properly disposed of.

When evaluating sustainability, it’s important to consider:

• Weight and emissions from production and transportation
• Energy and water use in manufacturing
• Recyclability and end-of-life options
• Durability and whether it helps reduce waste

Plastic – when used and disposed of responsibly – can often be the most effective and sustainable option, especially in high-volume print applications where strength, water resistance and longevity matter.

At Ryedale, we specialise in UV litho printing onto recyclable polypropylene sheets that combine functionality, durability and sustainability – helping businesses meet evolving compliance standards without compromising on performance.

Printed Plastics: Challenges and Opportunities

Recycling printed plastics is far more complex than recycling plain packaging. The recyclability depends on a number of factors, from material choice to the printing process and type of inks used.

Key Factors Affecting Recyclability

• Plastic Type: Thermoplastics (like polypropylene and PET) can be melted down and reformed, making them easier to recycle. Thermoset plastics, on the other hand, cannot be remelted and are generally non-recyclable.
• Inks and Printing Methods: Some inks can be difficult to remove or contain harmful substances that interfere with recycling, especially in food packaging.
• Contamination: Labels, adhesives, mixed materials and incompatible inks can lower the quality and recyclability of the finished product.
• End-of-Life Management: Even technically recyclable plastics need proper collection, sorting and processing infrastructure to avoid landfill or incineration.

Additional Challenges

• Sorting Complexity: Facilities often struggle to sort printed plastics effectively, especially if they are laminated or multi-material.
• Market Demand: Without demand for recycled materials, the economics of recycling falter – even if the process is technically feasible.
• Ink Degradation: Some inks degrade during recycling, reducing the quality of the recovered plastic.
• Limited Recycling Capability: Currently in the EU, the plastic collection and recycling system is not established enough to supply fully recycled printable sheets. Even though we can print on it, the supply of recycled sheets would not last long at all.

How to Improve Recyclability in Print

• Choose Better Materials: Favour thermoplastics like PP and PET. Avoid difficult to recycle materials like PVC.
• Optimise the Print Process: Select methods that produce recyclable outcomes and reduce overall waste – consider product shape and yield from a sheet, reduce material thickness as much as possible.
• Design for End-of-Life: Choose mono-materials rather than multi-material laminates, and clear labelling.
• Monitor New Technologies: Chemical recycling and other innovations offer promise for tackling complex plastic waste in the future.

Keeping Materials in Use for Longer

The best way to minimise environmental impact is to keep materials in use for as long as possible. That means reducing single-use plastics, reusing wherever possible, and recycle when reuse isn’t an option.

In the UK, most households can now recycle plastic bottles, tubs and trays through kerbside collections. More recently, supermarkets have started accepting soft plastic films and wrapping – with full kerbside rollout expected over the next few years.

Smarter Solutions, Not Blanket Bans

It’s clear that banning plastic packaging entirely isn’t the answer. Instead, we should focus on banning non-recyclable plastics, improving design standards, and making recycling more accessible and efficient.

The UK Plastics Pact, led by WRAP, is already making significant progress. It aims to ensure that all plastic packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable.

https://www.wrap.ngo/taking-action/plastic-packaging/initiatives/the-uk-plastics-pact

At Ryedale, we work to these guidelines by designing plastic print solutions that work better – for our clients, for recyclers, and for the environment. Our products are made using recyclable polypropylene sheets, with at least 30% recycled content, and printed using UV-cured inks suitable for long-lasting, high-quality applications.

Ready to Make a Smarter Choice?

If you’re looking for printed plastic packaging or point-of-sale products that balance performance and sustainability, we can help. Get in touch with the team at Ryedale Printing to find out how we can support your next project.