Avery Dennison Gains RecyClass Approval for RFID Tags Designed for PET Bottle Recycling

Photo Credit: Avery Dennison

According to company reports, Avery Dennison has received RecyClass Technology Approval in Europe for its AD CleanFlake™ RFID tags, making the company the first RFID solution provider to achieve recognition from both RecyClass and the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) for compatibility with mechanical PET recycling systems. The approval covers PET bottle recycling streams in Europe and builds on the product’s existing APR Design® Recognition in North America. 

The certification allows multinational brands to use a common RFID label construction across different regional recycling frameworks, supporting global packaging traceability while maintaining compatibility with existing PET recycling infrastructure. Avery Dennison said the cross-regional recognition can help brands simplify material sourcing decisions and improve packaging data management for sustainability reporting.

The AD CleanFlake RFID solution combines Avery Dennison’s proprietary CleanFlake™ adhesive technology with a patent-pending RFID inlay and label structure. During mechanical recycling, the design enables RFID tags to separate cleanly from rigid PET packaging, reducing the risk of adhesive and metal contamination in recycled PET flakes.

PET is widely used in beverage bottles, food containers and household packaging, making efficient recycling systems important for increasing plastic recovery rates. As brands face growing requirements around packaging recyclability, technologies that can integrate digital identification features without affecting recycling performance are gaining attention.

The approval comes as regulatory requirements for recyclable packaging continue to develop, including the European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which requires companies to demonstrate improved packaging recyclability at scale. Avery Dennison said the RecyClass certification confirms that AD CleanFlake RFID products can operate within existing mechanical PET recycling processes.

“When APR recognized the AD CleanFlake RFID products, it validated that RFID and PET recyclability no longer have to be in conflict,” said Pascale Wautelet, Vice President of Global R&D and Sustainability at Avery Dennison Materials Group. “Brands operating across North America and Europe now have a single, approved solution that works within both recycling infrastructures, without compromise.”

Paolo Glerean, Chairman of RecyClass, said the approval reflects the role of science-based testing in evaluating technologies designed to support circular packaging systems.

Avery Dennison said the recognition strengthens its position in developing packaging identification solutions that combine digital tracking capabilities with recycling compatibility, supporting wider adoption of design-for-recycling principles in the PET packaging market.

Source: Avery Dennison

SUNSHINE Spotlight: Avery Dennison’s RecyClass approval highlights growing demand for RFID-enabled packaging solutions that maintain traceability while meeting mechanical PET recycling requirements.