Foil and Label Waste Recycling
We arrange collection and recycling for specialist waste from foil printing and label production, including used foil reels, polymer films, label waste, release liners and suitable paper/card materials.
Tell us what material your business produces, how much there is and how it is currently stored. We’ll confirm whether it is suitable for a specialist recycling route, the container required and the collection frequency suited to your site.
This service is designed for printers, label manufacturers, packaging businesses and other organisations producing regular foil and label-process waste.
Get a free quote
Get a foil and label waste collection quote
- Free quote within 1 hour
- Foil and label waste assessed
- Specialist containers available
- Collections across the UK
How foil and label waste collection works
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Tell us about your foil or label waste
Let us know whether you produce foil reels, film, label matrix, release liner, paper labels or another printing/label waste stream, along with the approximate volume.
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Confirm the container and recycling route
We’ll assess whether the material is suitable for the specialist recycling route and confirm how it should be separated before collection.
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Fill the agreed container
Keep the accepted foil, liner or label waste separate from general rubbish, food, liquids and other contaminants. Follow the collection specification for whether paper, film, cores or residual labels need to be separated.
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We arrange collection
Collections are handled through registered waste carriers. Where your service uses exchange containers, the full container is removed, and a replacement is delivered for the next load.
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Efficient communication
We have worked alongside Business Waste for quite a few months now, and their efficiency with communication and resolving queries is great. Allie especially is a pleasure to liaise with. Great company from a B2B perspective
Flo Bolton-Smith
The real definition of service
The service received was simply outstanding. Business Waste gave good advice and a demonstration of a willingness to help and get me a solution.
Gregory Harrand
Great company
Great company to deal with, special thanks to Danielle who is always on the ball and sort any issues out instantly with proactive involvement with follow up phone calls and emails. I would recommend her to be the next PM to get things done, oh and as a company to deal with all the waste needs for your business.
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Excellent service set up process
I was impressed by the speed of setting up the service. I made a single phone call to Business Waste and all the necessary paperwork was done efficiently.
Yahya Saeed
What foil and label waste can we collect?
If you produce any of the following foil and label waste, we can collect it from your site.
- Used foil-printing reels
- Foil transfer film
- Suitable polymer film
- Paper release liner
- PET or other accepted filmic release liner
- Label matrix and trim where accepted
- Paper label waste
- Polymer label-production waste
- Print/label production offcuts
- Cardboard and carton board kept separately where required
Acceptance can vary depending on material composition and contamination. Tell us whether the waste contains adhesive, residual labels, paper cores or mixed materials so we can confirm the correct route.
What is foil printing waste?
Hot and cold foiling and label manufacturing can create waste. Any excess and unused foil, thin polymer films used during the process, and the reels that these materials come on are all commonly collected. Mistakes during hot or cold foil printing processes can also generate waste, such as offcuts or wasted material due to a design error.
Waste substrates such as card, carton board or plastic offcuts may need to be separated into their own recycling streams rather than placed in the foil/label container. We strive to collect and recycle any type of waste from foil printing. Using rolls sized to your print job can help minimise waste from hot or cold foiling, though some level of waste generation is inevitable with foil printing.
How is foil printing waste recycled?
Waste foil is recyclable, but unfortunately, it’s often sent for incineration. At Business Waste, we prioritise recycling routes that turn polymer-based label waste and foil printing waste into new products.
These products are made from 70% premium polymer (PP) and 30% lower-grade polymers (such as PET). Any paper-based labels are removed and sent to paper recycling processors. Here the waste from paper labels is shredded, blended, and turned into recycled paper of various grades.
The general process for foil printing waste recycling follows these steps:
- Firstly, the containers full of waste printer reels are removed, and an empty replacement IBC is delivered
- The waste is transported to a material recovery facility where it’s weighed, and a waste transfer note is produced.
- All the waste materials are unloaded and segregated. Any paper is sent to paper processors for recycling separately.
- The waste material goes through a reel-splitting process, and then it’s shredded to a specification of 40mm.
- This shredded material is manually checked to remove any potential contaminants.
- The shredded material is then processed into a polymer pellet.
- Finally, the polymer pellet goes through an agglomeration process in a grid format to create new recycled products.
What our foil and label waste service includes
At Business Waste we provide free containers to store your foil and label waste – you only pay the collection costs. Select the best size containers for the amount of waste you produce and separate materials easily. One of our friendly team can advise if you’re unsure of the most efficient option.
All foil and label waste we collect is recycled rather than incinerated or sent to landfill sites. We have a route that turns the waste material into new recycled products to help protect the environment. You also receive a free zero waste-to-landfill certificate for label waste and foil waste.
We can collect any type and amount of foil and label waste from anywhere across the UK, whether it’s a one-off or scheduled collection. Flexible collections are available to suit your schedule, arranged through registered waste carriers with the relevant waste transfer paperwork provided. We can also provide bespoke onsite training for your teams. These can be quick training sessions that cover the importance of waste segregation from an environmental and cost perspective.
Reasons to use Business Waste for your foil printing and label waste collections:
- Specialist assessment of foil and label waste
- Suitable containers for accepted material, provided free of charge
- One-off or scheduled collections where available
- Registered waste carriers
- Specialist recycling route for suitable waste
- Separate paper/polymer routes where required
- Free duty of care certificate and waste transfer paperwork
- Collections across the UK
- Onsite training
- Flexible waste collection
- Free zero waste to landfill certificate
Arrange collection of your foil and label waste
Tell us what foil-printing or label waste your site produces, the quantity and how it is currently stored. We’ll confirm whether it is suitable for the specialist recycling route and provide a free no-obligation quote for the appropriate container and collection setup, anywhere in the UK – call 0800 211 8390 or contact us online today. Speak to one of our friendly and expert team and they’ll happily answer any of your questions and discuss any specific needs.
Get your fast and free quote
Get a fast FREE quote for foil and label waste collection
- Free quote within 1 hr
- Any type of foil and label waste
- FREE skips, bins and delivery
- We cover all of the UK
Published 2nd February 2024 by Mark Hall. Last modified 6th October 2026