Henkel introduces hot melt adhesive for enhanced PET bottle recycling

GERMANY – Henkel has introduced Technomelt EM 335 RE, a new hot melt adhesive designed to simplify the recycling of PET bottles by enabling cleaner label separation.

According to Henkel, traditional hot melt adhesives pose major hurdles in recycling, as they often resist removal even in standard hot caustic soda baths, with only 12-30% dissolving. 

This leads to contaminated PET flakes that cause cloudiness, yellowing, and diminished barrier properties, rendering them unsuitable for high-value uses like food packaging. 

“Our goal was to create an adhesive that performs exceptionally during use but releases effortlessly in recycling,” said Dr. Martin Krüger, Head of Packaging Adhesives at Henkel Adhesive Technologies, in a statement.

 “Technomelt EM 335 RE achieves up to 98% removal, separating residue with the label to yield purer flakes.”

The adhesive is alkali-dispersible, making it ideal for both paper and plastic labels on PET bottles. 

It bonds reliably at speeds of up to 40,000 labels per hour, operates at low temperatures of 110-140°C to save energy and protect equipment, and features a mineral oil-free formula compliant with food safety regulations. 

Henkel emphasizes its role in supporting circular economy goals by improving recycled PET quality.

This launch builds on Henkel’s recent strategic partnership with Synthomer, announced in May, to integrate CLIMA resins into its Technomelt portfolio. 

The collaboration aims to cut carbon emissions by at least 20% without compromising performance, helping reduce Scope 3 emissions across supply chains.

 “Incorporating lower-emission raw materials is key to our sustainability strategy,” noted Krüger.

In related developments, CCL Label unveiled its EcoShear label last month, optimized for one-way glass recycling. 

The innovation reportedly slashes label contamination to 2% and landfill waste to 1.5kg per tonne, while maintaining durability and shelf appeal.

Looking ahead, Henkel plans to showcase recyclable and CO2-reducing adhesives at Labelexpo Europe 2025 in September, highlighting ongoing innovations.

Earlier in July, the company launched Loctite Liofol LA 7837/LA 6265, a solvent-free system for safe, high-performance flexible packaging.

Meanwhile, broader industry progress includes a new degradable glue from University of Reading researchers in February, designed to break down in alkaline solutions for easier plastic recycling. 

SmartSolve also introduced a water-soluble adhesive in August for paper labels on PET, fully dissolving to aid separation.

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