Plastic recovery and recycling

Independent research

National Test centre Circular Plastics (NL), Danone, Colgate Palmolive, Ferrero, LVMH Recherche, Mars, Incorporated, Michelin, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Ghent University (B) and Radboud University (NL) have launched the Perfect Sorting project with the aim of improving packaging waste sorting through the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

The unique feature of this project is its composition as nine brand-owners, an independent test & research centre and two universities are part of the consortium. Together they combine a strong expertise in eco-design, packaging waste sorting and recycling as well as AI programming.

NTCP will test a wide range of packaging products provided by the brand-owners using their own flexible and modular sorting line with industrial equipment. These assessments will be used to further develop the packaging sorting model of the University of Ghent. NTCP, together with the universities of Ghent and Radboud will develop an AI decision model to detect, identify and classify packaging beyond the current sorting streams. The consortium members also aim to involve different technology providers and waste management companies during the course of the project. As key stakeholders of the value chain, the members consider it is their role to lead the way in co-developing this AI decision model and making it available to the market. The consortium members will also make use of an open innovation approach, preventing a potential technology lock-in.

“ The consortium members will also make use of an open innovation approach ”

Plastic recovery and recycling struggling to keep pace with volume of waste

Analysis of DEFRA statistics on plastic packaging waste reveals that while rates of recovery and recycling are improving, the total volumes of plastic packaging that is not being recovered or recycled is not being reduced.

The analysis from Nozama, the global sustainability technology company and creator of Plastics, found that 1.306 million tonnes of plastic packaging were neither recycled or recovered in the UK in 2020.

bASF, Quantafuel and REMOnDIS cooperate on chemical recycling of plastic waste

BASF, Quantafuel and REMONDIS have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly evaluate a cooperation in chemical recycling including a joint investment into a pyrolysis plant for plastic waste.

It is intended that REMONDIS, one of the world’s leading waste and water management companies, supplies suitable plastic waste to the plant, and BASF uses the resulting pyrolysis oil as feedstock in its production Verbund as part of its ChemCyclingTM project. Quantafuel intends to provide the technology and to operate the plant. The company is a specialist for the pyrolysis of mixed plastic waste and the purification of the resulting pyrolysis oil; the technology is jointly developed and being held with BASF. The location of the pyrolysis plant will be evaluated together.

Banding for sustainability

› 100% recyclable ECO.BANDING (paper banding which complies with French and European guidelines) › Multi-Width option: multiple band widths on 1 machine › Waste reductions of 80 % or more are no exception › Flexible printing while banding