Madrid, 27 October 2021 – INNOTECH, the innovation and technology centre of COEXPAN and EMSUR, joins the Digital Watermarks HolyGrail 2.0 initiative driven by AIM – European Brands Association and powered by the Alliance to End Plastic Waste.
Last month, INNOTECH joined more than 130 companies and organisations in the European HolyGrail 2.0 initiative, which aims to demonstrate the technical feasibility of digital watermarks for the accurate sorting of post-consumer packaging waste as well as the economic viability of the business case at large scale.
Digital Watermarks HolyGrail 2.0 is a pilot project that aims to assess whether pioneering digital technology can enable better sorting and higher quality recycling rates for packaging in the EU, thereby accelerating our move towards a circular economy for plastics.
The initiative promotes the smart sorting of consumer plastic waste through digital technology. It uses a system of digital watermarks, which are small imperceptible codes, that cover the surface of a package and encode a wide range of attributes. When the packaging enters a waste sorting facility, via a camera, the digital watermark is detected and decoded. Based on the transferred attributes (e.g., the type of plastic and its composition), the containers can be sorted into the corresponding streams. This would result in much more accurate sorting streams and thus in higher quality recyclates that would benefit the entire packaging value chain.
“Joining HolyGrail project demonstrates our commitment to promote circular economy through responsible packaging. We really believe in the power of collaboration to improve the recycling processes to reduce waste generation protecting our planet and our society.” María Rodríguez, Global Sustainability Manager.
COEXPAN and EMSUR’s commitment to sustainability is based on promoting food preservation, as well as offering products that optimise the use of natural resources, favouring local communities and promoting environmental conservation. The sustainability vision of both companies focuses on eco-design and the circularity of their packaging, reaffirming their contribution to achieving a more sustainable packaging future.
INNOTECH, is presented as a lever to promote the development of new products that can be recyclable or biodegradable after use and, whenever possible, include recycled material, guaranteeing optimal product quality and safety conditions.