Ineos Olefins and Polymers Europe, headquartered in Rolle, Switzerland, has joined HolyGrail 2.0, the digital watermarking initiative designed to improve the sorting and recycling of end-of-life plastic packaging. The company says the move reinforces its commitment to creating a true circular economy where all plastics can be properly recycled and reused in high-quality products, thereby reducing the carbon footprint of plastic products and packaging.
HolyGrail 2.0 aims to address and improve the way post-use plastic packaging is sorted into different types, making recycling more efficient.
The HolyGrail 2.0 Digital Watermarks initiative uses digital watermarks, or imperceptible codes, that cover the surface of packaging and are detectable by special cameras linked to high-speed sorting systems.
Ineos says joining the initiative builds on the commercialization of its Recycl-IN range of polyethylene and polypropylene products, which was launched in 2019 to provide processors with a comprehensive portfolio of resins containing up to 70% of post-consumer recycled content and properties comparable to virgin polymers. .
Rob Ingram, CEO of INEOS Olefins and Polymers North, said: “Our partnership with HolyGrail 2.0 demonstrates our commitment to taking action across the value chain to create a more sustainable future. This aligns perfectly with Ineos’ goal of increasing recycling rates and the use of recycled materials in everyday products. This is an exciting next step on our journey towards full circularity in packaging. »
He continues: “Plastics are essential to our daily lives. They keep our food fresh and safe to eat and help us produce other everyday items, like our phones and televisions. But we recognize and share people’s concerns: by working together, we can make the plastic economy more circular and help reduce plastic waste.
Earlier this year, Digimarc Corp., Beaverton, Oregon, and AIM – European Brands Association, Brussels, announced that the HolyGrail 2.0 Digital Watermarks initiative had completed a semi-industrial trial demonstrating an average detection rate of 99%, while that the ejection and purity rates were 95%, on average. The organizations say the results demonstrate that Digimarc’s technology performs well in all categories of plastic packaging tested under conditions representing routine industrial operations, even at higher belt speeds and when the packaging exhibits soiling. and major crashes.