TIPS FOR FUTURE SUSTAINABLE PRINTING
What “matte laminated paper cards” usually are
These are paper cards (e.g., business cards, postcards) with a thin matte plastic coating to give a smooth, non-glossy finish and extra durability.
Are they recyclable?
Sometimes — but not always.
If the lamination is biodegradable or water-soluble
Some modern matte laminate films are designed to separate from the paper during pulping (recycling) and are accepted by many paper recycling systems. In that case, the card can be recycled as paper.
If the lamination is traditional plastic
Most conventional matte laminates are plastic films (polypropylene, PET, etc.). These do not break down in standard paper recycling pulping processes and can contaminate the recycling stream.
So:
Many recycling centers won’t accept laminated cards in regular paper recycling. Some specialty recyclers might accept them if they manually remove coatings or process composites.
What to do
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Check with your local recycler — rules vary a lot by region.
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If they don’t accept laminated paper, you may need to dispose of matte laminated cards in general waste.
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For future printing, ask for uncoated, recyclable, or biodegradable finishes if recycling is a priority.
More sustainable options if recyclability matters, consider:
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Uncoated paper (no plastic lamination) — very easy to recycle.
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Water-based matte coating — more recyclable than plastic.
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Biodegradable/compostable lamination — available from some printers.
In Hong Kong, whether matte-laminated paper cards (e.g., business cards with a matt plastic coating) can be recycled depends on how clean and uncontaminated they are, and what your local recycling service accepts — but in general they’re often not recyclable in standard paper recycling due to the plastic lamination.
What Hong Kong’s recycling rules say ?
Hong Kong’s community recycling programmes (e.g., GREEN@COMMUNITY accept clean waste paper like newspapers, magazines, office paper and cardboard for recycling. Before recycling, paper must be free of contaminants (such as plastics and tapes). Laminated paper/card with a plastic coating isn’t listed as an accepted recyclable in standard paper recycling — because the plastic film can contaminate the paper stream and isn’t easily removed by normal paper recycling processes.
Why laminated cards are tricky
Matte lamination typically involves a thin plastic film bonded to the paper. This plastic cannot readily separate during paper pulping, so most recyclers don’t accept it in regular paper recycling bins.
Even if the paper fibers could technically be recovered, the laminate still acts as contamination and would likely be rejected at sorting or removed, ending up as waste.
What you can do in Hong Kong
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Check with your building’s recycling point or the local GREEN@COMMUNITY facility — some mixed or commercial recyclers might accept certain paper types, but you should confirm.
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Remove plastic-coated items before placing paper in recycling bins — only uncoated and clean paper is normally accepted.
Many MNCs issue ESG reports or talk about sustainability, but don’t implement meaningful changes across all functional areas. They may focus on headline initiatives (like renewable energy pledges) but overlook smaller-scale procurement decisions such as printing materials. This gap between words and practices can look like inconsistency or “lip-service” rather than genuine sustainability action.
Procurement Driven by Cost, Not ESG Criteria
Purchasing teams will often opt for lowest understood cost rather than evaluating full lifecycle environmental impact or supplier ESG performance. This is especially true in organizations without tight ESG requirements embedded across all business units.
Tips for future printing - If recycling is important to you:
Ask your printer for uncoated paper or a water-based coating that is easier to recycle. Stop using printers that rely heavily on matt laminated paper products. These materials are often non-recyclable, high-VOC, and inconsistent with genuine ESG commitments.