New partner for HolyGrail 2.0, an initiative to improve sorting and recycling rates in the EU. Siegwerk, one of the major suppliers of printing inks for packaging and labels, is now also involved.
The idea is as simple as it is convincing: a kind of digital passport for packaging. Digital watermarks, which are the size of a postage stamp, are integrated multiple times into the surface of labels or paper-based packaging. These small codes are imperceptible and cannot be recognised by humans. However, they can carry a variety of information that can be read by cameras, such as manufacturer, stock keeping unit (SKU), type of plastics used and composition for multi-layered objects, food vs. non-food use, etc.
HolyGrail also aims to improve retail processes
This information can be used along the entire packaging value chain - from the manufacturer to the recycler. It can improve consumer engagement, supply chain visibility and retail operations. Ultimately, the digital watermark can be recognised on the sorting line of a waste sorting facility. This allows the packaging to be sorted better and more accurately. The result is higher quality recyclates that can be reused in even more new products, supporting a circular economy.
Now Siegwerk also wants to contribute its expertise in the circular economy of packaging, sustainable inks and varnishes and the printing process to HolyGrail 2.0.
"We are very proud to be a member of this ambitious initiative, which joins renowned companies such as The Coca-Cola Company, Kelloggs , Rewe Group and Tetra Pak. It fits perfectly with one of our circular economy goals: the collection and recycling of all packaging. We are convinced that we need to transform the industry from a linear economy to a circular economy model. It is crucial to adopt digital and smart ways to achieve this"
Alina Marm, Head of the Circular Economy Hub at Siegwerk
HolyGrail 2.0 is the next phase of the HolyGrail initiative launched by consumer goods manufacturer Procter & Gamble and completed under the Ellen MacArthur Foundation between 2016 and 2019. It will launch an industrial pilot project to prove the viability of digital watermarking technologies for more accurate sorting of packaging and higher quality recycling. It will also define specifications for embedding watermark codes in plastic moulds and specifications for sorting equipment.
Source: Siegwerk
