This document provides design criteria and test methods to evaluate the removability of shrink labels applied to PET bottles when the packaging supplier intends that the shrink label is to be separated by the consumer or recycling facility, including:

a)       design criteria such as visual indications of the starting point of separation, finger tab or initiation cuts, label material, shape of bottle, hole size and spacing between holes of perforated shrink sleeves, perforated line, and a tool for improving removability;

b)       test methods for removability including information on preparing samples and panels, a test procedure and an evaluation method.

This document is applicable to packaging suppliers that want to help consumers to easily separate shrink labels from PET bottles and effectively recycle PET bottles during waste collection.