The next phase of trialling digital watermarks for the intelligent sorting of packaging waste is now being launched in Copenhagen. The European Brands Association (AIM), the Alliance to End Plastic Waste and the City of Copenhagen have joined forces to drive forward the Holygrail 2.0 initiative.
Digital watermarks are imperceptible codes on the surface of the packaging, that carry a variety of information. In the sorting system, high-resolution cameras will scan such packaging and recognise and decode the digital watermark. This would allow packaging to be sorted more precisely into the appropriate streams based on certain characteristics in future, meaning that more packaging could be recycled more effectively.
Now starting with a pilot project the next stage in the development of intelligent waste separation as part of the HolyGrail 2.0 initiative.
Holygrail 2.0 wants intelligent sorting through digital watermarks
The two machine manufacturers Pellenc ST and Tomra, together with Digimarc, the provider of digital watermarking technology, Additional modules for your sorting systems which can be combined with existing NIR (near infrared) sorting devices. A first prototype of Pellenc ST is now being installed and tested at the Amager Resource Centre (ARC) in Copenhagen. should achieve a rejection rate of over 95 per cent. In the coming months, tests will be carried out with around 125,000 packages, which will be used by HolyGrail 2.0-members were made available.
If the test is successful, the next phase will involve products with a digital watermark on the packaging. in the first half of 2022 on the shelves in Denmark, France and Germany.
SourceAIM European Brands Association
