Waste &
Recycling

Labeling Solutions

polyfuze labeling for recycle bins
trash container polyfuze labeling

Labeling engineered to exceed Informative, Brand and Tracking needs required by municipals and waste haulers today.

Labeling engineered to exceed Informative, Brand and Tracking needs required by municipals and waste haulers today.

trash bin Polyfuze labeling

Durable Labels for Plastic Recycling Bins & Garbage Cans

Solid waste management affects everyone since the waste we generate needs to be removed and handled. Commercial carts, organic waste carts, document destruction carts, curbside roll-out carts, curbside recycling bins, and medical waste carts and bins are products used throughout the world and solid waste industry to help each of us achieve that removal.

For instance, roll-out carts hold garbage before being picked up weekly by haulers. Curbside recycling bins do the same thing but specifically hold recyclables so they can make their way back into the materials stream.

Why Other Methods Fail

The majority of waste carts and bins are manufactured from low surface energy polyolefin thermoplastics such as high-density polyethylene plastic (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP), specifically for the superior performance properties including long service life with resistance to damage, chemicals, UV exposure, and washing/sanitizing processes.

However, the performance properties that make polyolefin thermoplastics so versatile also make them problematic for standard “adhesion-based” labeling methods (pressure-sensitive adhesive, in-mold, hot stamp foil, heat transfer, silkscreen, pad printing, and more) that are intended to be on the product for their intended life use.

The reason for this? Just like the aversion rain has to a waxed car, adhesion-based labeling has an aversion to the non-polar, low surface energy nature of polyolefin thermoplastics.

labeling of trach bin
labels for recycle bins

Labels for Waste Collection

Waste management is one of the most vital industries in society today, due to the massive amounts of waste produced by people and businesses that need to be removed, handled, and disposed of correctly. Every day, individuals rely on trash cans and collection bins to get rid of waste and recycle products. These waste-collection containers need to be labeled with the appropriate information identifying proper use, ownership, and more. The problem with labeling these products is that most of them are made of polyolefin plastics, which are naturally stick-resistant, and refuse to be permanently labeled using traditional adhesion-based labeling methods.

The fact is, adhesive trash bin labels will peel away or fade from trash cans over time as they’re exposed to UV light, extreme temperatures, chemicals, and cleaning products. However, there is another option out there. Polyfuze’s advanced polymer fusion labels are the best possible choice for polyolefin plastic parts, including waste-collection products like the curbside trash can outside your house. Made from polyolefin plastic polymers, our labels fuse directly into the part, ensuring all branding and critical information remains intact for a lifetime of use.

 

Labels for Waste Transportation

Throughout the waste management process, waste products are transported from place to place, ensuring correct disposal and/or recycling. This constant movement of waste requires a range of products equipped to handle waste transportation, all of which require a variety of labeling that can serve branding, safety, and tracking purposes. Many of these products are made from modern polyolefin plastics, which are famed for their high levels of versatility and cost-effectiveness. However, while polyolefin plastics like HDPE and polypropylene have many advantages, their benefits may create obstacles, such as the fact that it can be very hard to attach labels to them. Often, standard adhesive-based garbage can labels simply won’t last on these products, as they’ll peel away over time and/or fade due to UV, weather, and chemical exposure.

For garbage bin labels that won’t peel or fade, Polyfuze is the answer. Polyfuze makes use of advanced polymer fusion technology to directly fuse polymer labels onto the polymer components that make up waste transportation products like trash bins and garbage cans. Thanks to this method, it’s possible to create genuinely permanent garbage can labels in a sustainable way. Our method reduces scrap rates, has high production yields, and eliminates the need for labels to be reproduced and reapplied. It’s the best possible solution for branding, safety, and tracking labels in waste transportation.

Labels for waste transportation
Labels for Waste Storage

Labels for Waste Storage Services

Waste products must be stored and managed with care, and special waste storage containers like bins, cans, and drums are used for this purpose. Many waste storage containers and waste drums are made from polyolefin plastics, and there are various reasons for this. Unlike other materials, polyolefin plastics are naturally stick-resistant and can easily withstand chemicals and UV and weather exposure, making them well-suited for the waste management industry, which involves harsh chemicals, sanitizing products, and regular exposure to the elements. However, due to their stick-resistant nature, it can be hard to attach waste labels to waste drums and storage containers made from polyolefin plastics.

Typical adhesive-based labels tend to peel away over time from the plastic surfaces of products like waste storage containers. In addition, these kinds of waste labels will fade and/or wear down over time, due to regular exposure to cleaning chemicals and various other substances. Polyfuze offers an alternative solution. With our advanced polymer fusion technology, we’re able to produce premium, permanent, polyolefin waste drum labels that won’t fade away over time. It’s impossible to peel, remove, or separate our labels from the products they’re attached to, ensuring that Polyfuze labels are in place for the life of a waste storage container.

Labels for Waste Treatment & Disposal Services

Various products are used throughout the waste treatment and disposal industry, from trash cans and recycling containers to waste drums and more. Many of these products need to have permanent labels attached to them, showing their intended use, weight limit, dimensions, and other important information. However, since many waste drums and containers are made from polyolefin plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene, which are naturally adhesion-resistant, it can be difficult to attach standard adhesive labels to them. Polyfuze offers a smart solution. Through polymer fusion technology, we can create plastic labels that fuse directly with the plastic part to form a permanent and sustainable form of waste treatment labeling that won’t fade away over time.

Labels-for-Waste-Treatment
Labels-for-Recycling-Services

Recycling Bin Labels

Recycling is a vital industry, one that has major implications for our environment and even for our economies. Recycling organizations, therefore, work around the clock to recycle plastic, paper, glass, and other materials, utilizing various items like recycling bins and recycling containers to do so. A lot of these products are made from polyolefin plastics, like HDPE and PP, and have recycling bin labels attached to them.

There are many advantages to working with polyolefin plastics like HDPE. These plastics are relatively easy to work with and can be molded into various shapes, making them ideal to form bins and containers. They’re also cost-effective and versatile. Plus, they’re naturally resistant to things like UV damage or degradation due to exposure to changing temperatures and chemicals. This is key in the recycling industry, where bins and cans are often exposed to all sorts of sanitizing chemicals and other substances. However, the benefits of polyolefin plastics can also become problems, such as the fact that they’re resistant to adhesives, causing issues when it comes to labeling.

Traditional labeling methods use adhesives in an attempt to keep a label on a part, but due to the non-stick nature of polyolefins, these labels tend to peel away over time when attached to standard recycling containers. Traditional labels will also start to fade or wear away as they’re exposed to different temperatures, weather, and chemicals. Polyfuze labels are a better and smarter solution. We produce polyolefin plastic labels that fuse directly with the polyolefin plastics of each recycling bin, ensuring that each label remains in place for the long haul, providing users with key information in a sustainable way.

Need Proof? Look no further than your roll out cart next time you take out your trash. The label on the side of your cart either chalks off with some rubbing or is mostly missing by now. Real world proof consistently shows us that adhesion-based labels do not meet the needs required by municipalities and waste haulers.

This creates problems such as:

Hard To Identify Roll Out Carts
Waste Haulers trying to quickly identify their roll out carts vs. competitors on trash days find it hard to do so when all carts blend in a sea of white labels. Another problem exists once those labels fail as there’s nothing left to establish who the cart owner is.

Missing Information
Municipalities with recycling programs often require recycling roll out carts to place important multi-colored “recycling information pictorial” labeling on lids. These labels show customers what is, and what is not acceptable to be placed inside for pick up. When labels lose adhesion or outer layers become damaged, they rapidly deteriorate leaving nothing informational behind.

Track/Traceability Loss
Municipals and waste haulers must be in control of their assets. When carts or containers go missing, the expense to replace them adds up which then gets passed onto customers through the supply chain.

Recycling of Used or Blem Carts, Bins and Containers
Manufacturers inevitably create scrap when producing waste carts, bins, and containers. Because the plastic is polyolefin, that scrap is easily placed back into the stream.

End-of-life carts, bins, and containers can also be recycled and made into new products except for one caveat. Incompatible labeling must first be removed in order to create clean recyclate for the downstream economy. Removal adds labor and handling costs while discarded labeling becomes waste in our landfills.

 

plastic trash bin labeling
labeling of recycle bin
Recycle bin labeling

Polymer Fusion
Labeling Technology
For Waste/Recycling

Polymer Fusion is the science of merging two separate low-surface energy plastic polymers together (polyolefin label + polyolefin component) utilizing melting point, time, and pressure, which produces a singular piece of plastic without the use of adhesives, tie-layers, bonding agents, or secondary surface treatments.

The result is permanent labeling for Collection Service Containers, Municipal Waste Containers, Biohazard Waste Containers, Recycling Service Containers, and other waste/recycling bins and containers that cannot be lifted, separated or removed for the life-use of the product.

Where adhesion and other labeling methods continue to fail, Polymer Fusion Labels were engineered specifically for 100% compatibility and 100% recyclability with all polyolefin thermoplastics and do not contribute to unclean recyclate. They have been proven to exceed performance and durability standards no matter the use or environment waste and recycling containers may be exposed to.

Labeling for trash cans
Trash bin labeling

Performance Attributes

  • Fully compatible with low surface energy polyolefin thermoplastics (no substrates, inks, or adhesives are used)
  • Impervious to extreme environments, temperatures, chemicals, solvents, fuels, oils, and sanitation for expected life use of products.
  • Polymer fusion labels meld at a molecular level to low surface energy polyolefin thermoplastics used in waste/recycling containment products.
  • Hygienic, flush polymer fusion finish. No topical, layered edges, no adhesive residues, meaning no place for microbes to harbor and thrive.
  • Can be manufactured to meet Regulatory Compliance Standards. Learn More Here
  • Can be manufactured with BioCote® Antimicrobial for long-term silver ion efficacy against microbe growth and migration.
  • Can be manufactured with customized micro-crystal taggants for anti-counterfeit / authentication purposes.
  • Barcoding capability provides track & traceability over life-use of waste/recycling containment products.
  • Lifetime Guarantee.
  • RFID Coming Soon.
Trash bin labeling

Certifications

  • Collection
  • Transportation
  • Storage Services
  • Treatment & Disposal Services
  • Recycling Services
Trash bin labeling

Solutions

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