21 Jun 2022 --- Sonoco has participated in European recycling trials showing that digital watermarks yield accurate packaging sortation, distinguishing between food and non-food applications. The HolyGrail 2.0 initiative aims to assess whether digital watermarks can enable better sorting and higher-quality recycling rates for packaging in the EU. After recent trials in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sonoco says it can demonstrate high compatibility of its rigid paper containers using this technology across all sizes and material specifications.“This technology could help less-developed countries to quickly get up-to-speed with the sorting of (packaging) waste, bypassing the need for cascading NIR and conveyor belt systems, and infrastructure that has been used in countries like the UK and US for decades,” Peter Görlitz, sustainability manager Europe, Sonoco, tells PackagingInsights. “The new technology enables the separation of food and non-food material, which is particularly important for closing material loops and increasing recycled content in packaging.”
