MIL PAPERS Limited would like you to get the best possible quality from your self adhesive material. Below you will find manufacturing specifications, product safety, packaging regulations, handling & storage guidelines and A4 label packaging requirements that will ensure the highest standards are achieved throughout its life.

• Please check which widths are available when ordering to obtain the most economical slitting pattern.
• Tolerance for over or under makes ± 10%. If a tolerance is excluded in one direction, double tolerance shall apply in the other direction.
• The minimum reel length is 1000m.
• Reels up to 6000m in length can be produced* dependent on the caliper and structure of the material.
• Certain Taktik roll label products are available with the Taktik logo printed on the backing, for easy customer recognition*.

* For further information please contact your local MIL PAPERS Sales Executive or Sales Office.

Product
Self Adhesive, Remoistenable, Heat Activated coated materials and labels.

Intended Use
The products are intended for use in general and specific label applications. Information relating to individual product performance can be obtained either from particular product information sheets or by contacting MIL PAPERS UK Limited at Sawtry, or from our local Sales Manager.

Composition
The products utilise papers of conventional papermaking formulations, synthetics plus adhesives and silicones that are deemed suitable for the intended use by virtue of American or German food clearance legislation or that are generally recognised as safe.

Health Hazard
There are no known hazards associated with the use of these products.

Fire Hazards
These products will support combustion if ignited. Conventional extinguishing medium can be used, depending on the local circumstances, eg. Water should not be used near electrical equipment.

Environmental Hazards
No known environmental hazards are associated with these products.

Storage
Adhesive coated products should be stored away from sources of ignition, radiant heat and sunlight.
For advice on the handling and storage of these products, please see the section entitled “Handling and Storage Conditions” or the trade recommendations issued by FINAT and the EPSMA

Use
The optimum label manufacturing and storage conditions for these products are 18-23ºC and a relative humidity of 50-55%. For the ideal label application conditions to attain the best technical performance of the products please refer to the individual diaures technical information sheet.

Disposal
MIL Papers UK self adhesive laminates can be incinerated and are best disposed of by the energy recovery route. MIL PAPERS UK self adhesive waste can be used as a constituent of fuel pellets. These have a high calorific value that allows them to be used for power generation.
Our self adhesive materials can be landfilled without any known hazard to the environment. Schemes for the recycling of component parts of self adhesive laminate eg. siliconised paper, matrix waste etc. are currently under investigation.

Recycling
Recycling of “like with like” label and container is a generally accepted practice. eg. polyethylene label on polyethylene bottle, paper label on cardboard box etc.
Recycling of self adhesive paper labels back into the paper/board manufacturing process cannot be recommended without the following reservation: MIL Papers UK self adhesive paper laminates can be recycled into the paper/board manufacturing process only if the mill utilises a specific separation step of de-inking and flotation.

Environment
MIL PAPERS UK Limited takes its environmental responsibilities seriously and will endeavour to minimise the environmental impact of its manufacturing and distribution activities.
The company is continually looking for ways to encourage environment protection where this can be effected through its own organization and/or industry in which it operates.
The manufacturing operation is not considered to have any significant adverse impact on the environment, but the company is nevertheless committed where possible to:

• use 100% solvent free adhesives whether aqueous or hot melt, and solventless silicone.
• use packaging and raw materials that conform to environmentally directed standards for recyclability, re-use and heavy metal content.
• adopt raw materials that comply with BS EN 71-3 (Toy safety – regarding toxic metal content).
• adopt raw materials that comply with food packaging regulations (German BfR or US FDA) applicable to limited contacts with foodstuffs.
• give preference to suppliers who have formally approved quality and environmental quality and environmental management systems with qualifications such as ISO 14001 or EMAS.
• use papers manufactured from pulp bleached by elemental chlorine free (ECF) or totally chlorine free (TCF) methods.
• meet all legislative requirements for atmospheric emissions, trade effluents and waste disposal.

For further information relating to the above issues please contact MIL Papers UK Limited.

REGULATIONS
The Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 1998 (S.I.1998 No 1165) implement the single market provisions of the European Community Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste (94/62/EC).

The main requirements are that no person responsible for packing or filling products into packaging or importing packed of filled packaging into the United Kingdom may place packed or filled packaging on the market unless the packaging fulfils the Essential Requirements and Heavy Metals limits.

Essential Requirements
The Essential Requirements are :

• Packaging must be minimal subject to safety, hygiene and acceptance for the packed product and the consumer.
• Noxious or hazardous substances in packaging must be minimised in emissions, ash or leachate from incineration or landfill.
• Packaging must be recoverable through at least one of :
  • Material recycling
  • Incineration with energy recovery
  • Composting or biodegradation
• Packaging may be reusable

Heavy Metal Limits
The heavy metal limits apply to cadmium, mercury, lead and hexavalent chromium. From 30th June 2001 the total should not exceed 100 parts per million. This is a similar level to USA CONEG regulations.

MIL PAPERS UK Ltd are in compliance with all aspects of the Essential Requirements and Heavy Metal Limits of these regulations as outlined.

Further to the above, MIL PAPERS UK Ltd are pledged to maintain compliance with these regulations should they change in future.

MIL PAPERS UK Ltd recommend incineration with energy recovery. Average calorific values of 16,352kJ/Kg can be achieved.

Please use the above as confirmation of compliance with Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations for materials originating from MIL PAPERS UK Ltd.

• Store at 18-23ºC, at 50-55% relative humidity.
• Condition paper at print room temperature for 24 hours, before processing.
• Store in flexible plastic packaging and seal to protect from dust and damp.
• Reseal partly used reels in flexible plastic packaging.
• Store away from direct sunlight and heating sources.
• Use a “first in, first out “ stock rotation system.
• Store reels of unconverted laminate and printed labels in a chimney stack fashion.
• Protect the bottom reel of a stack from damage underneath.
• Roll label materials should be interleaved. Re-use interleaving and cover stack if the reels are moved.
• Do not use core clamping mechanical roll turners and lifts on roll label materials if the winding is loose (be particularly careful with soft adhesives or products with a high adhesive coatweight).
• Unless well supported with a strong core, do not hang reels on pegs or stack them so the core is distorted.
• Do not stand on or rest heavy objects on reel edges.

THESE CONDITIONS WILL OPTIMISE THE LIFE OF ROLL LABEL MATERIALS AND CONVERTED ROLLS OR SHEETS OF SELF ADHESIVE LABELS.

• A4 label sheets must be protected from atmospheric changes, particularly cold damp air or direct heat sources such as radiators, heaters and direct sunlight.
• Pack labels in resealable polyethylene bags or moisture proof packaging immediately after they have been made. Preprinting may need to cure before it is packed. When the desired number of labels have been printed, unused label sheets can be carefully returned to the bag and resealed. This maintains the appropriate moisture content for the product concerned.
• Protect 100 sheet packs or 1000 sheet bulk packs in rigid boxes so there is no possible movement inside. Bulk boxes need to have easy access to the sealed pack, one side can be designed to flap down. These precautions ensure that A4 label sheet corners and edges remain undamaged.
• Should A4 label sheets become cold during transportation or storage, they must remain sealed whilst being temperature conditioned, for 24/48 hours, in the print room before being printed.
• After packing do not stack pallets.
• Stretch film winding alone may not be adequate to protect laser/copier label packs from moisture vapour changes in the air.