No-Lick Stamps Sticky Problem for Recyclers

WASHINGTON — Self-adhesive stamps have won a place in the hearts and on the envelopes of many Americans, but recycling companies say the convenient little stickers are a hassle.

The problem is the glue on the peel-off postage stamps, which make up 60% of all Postal Service stamps printed. Unlike glue on regular lick-and-stick stamps, self-adhesive glue is not water soluble, so it can gum up some recycling equipment and leave marks on fine-grade paper.

In response, the Postal Service and other companies are developing an “environmentally benign” glue for postage stamps, return-address labels and envelope seals.

“We’re Americans and we don’t want our writing paper with blemishes on it,” said Les Ulanow, general manager of ABC Recycling Service in Washington. “Some people don’t mind. They say it’s recycled; it’s supposed to have blemishes. But if you’re making a copy in an office, you don’t want a blemish where the dollar figure is.”

The self-adhesive glue doesn’t matter when making cereal boxes, cardboard or anything else that already has a lot of imperfections. But the envelopes often are mixed with office-paper recycling, which is used to make fine-grade paper.

Although envelopes with self-adhesive stamps make up less than 1% of the recyclables collected by ABC Recycling, any flaw in a load of paper can bring down the value of the paper, Ulanow said. Other hard-to-recycle items include carbon paper and plastic windows in envelopes.

“If there’s a little glue glob it will make a blemish; if there’s a lot it could rip the paper,” Ulanow said.

The Postal Service hopes to have an “environmentally benign” adhesive that won’t gum up the recycling process by the end of 1997, said Postal Service spokesman Barry Ziehl. A new linerless coil of self-adhesive stamps--with better but not perfect glue--will be introduced in February or March.

In the meantime, the post office isn’t planning to cut back on the no-lick stamps.

“The American people have just fallen in love with self-adhesive stamps. Everything we hear is positive,” Ziehl said.