Avery Dennison Corp. recently announced that it has become the first pre-qualified intelligent labels provider to receive the How2Recycle^® label for RFID paper hang tags. The company reports that the label has been assigned based on a number of factors that How2Recycle considers: applicable law, collection (access to recycling), sortation (MRF package flow), reprocessing (technical recyclability), and end markets. This development follows research and development within Avery Dennison Smartrac to develop a combination of materials, adhesives, and inlay construction to enable RFID labels to be recycled alongside any other residential recycling stream (i.e., they can be transformed with any other paper-based materials).

Packaging design is extremely diverse and complex, and the recyclability of the final packaging can change based on product application, final packaging design, and other factors. The How2Recycle label was created to provide consistent and transparent on-package recycling information to consumers in North America and involves a coalition of forward-thinking brands that want their packaging to be recycled and are empowering consumers through smart packaging labels.