Printed packaging material with improved recyclability and method for its production

A recyclable, plastic-containing packaging material, comprising

• a carrier material comprising at least two plastic films laminated with an adhesive, wherein these films comprise at least 70 percent by weight of a single type of monomer and/or polymer, and
• an optically perceptible element formed by a printing ink,
• wherein
• the printing ink and/or the adhesive is thermally stable and exhibits a weight loss of less than 20% when subjected to a temperature in the range of ≤30° C. and ≤320° C.

A method for predicting the recyclability of a plastic-containing packaging material containing a printing ink and/or an adhesive, comprising the steps

• provide a sample of the ink and/or adhesive;
• performing a thermogravimetric analysis of the sample, wherein the thermogravimetric analysis includes at least one measurement of the mass changes in a temperature range of ≤30° C. to ≤320° C.;
• set a critical temperature value in said temperature range;
• determine the mass loss of the sample at the critical temperature;
• and
• classify the recyclability of the ink and/or adhesive based on the mass loss of the sample at the critical temperature.