UK – British waste management company Biffa and recycling technology specialist Polytag have partnered with three UK retailers to deliver ‘unprecedented’ data for the life cycle of packaging.
The three retailers include Ocado Retail, the Co-op, and Aldi, a report by Circular Online noted.
The project will see Co-op’s water bottles and Aldi and Ocado’s milk marked with UV 2D tags, printed by Interket UK, with a Polytag UV tag reader retrofitted onto the plastic conveyor at Biffa’s Teesside MRF in the northeast of England.
Through monitoring analytics via the Polytag dashboard, the retailers will be able to access real-time data insights, such as where, when and how much packaging has been recycled to help optimize sustainability strategies.
In addition, Polytag will enable Biffa to start to capture real-time data on packaging composition directly through their processing operations, informing recycling strategy, investment in sorting, recovery equipment, and the onward tracking of materials.
Alice Rackley, CEO of Polytag, said: “Polytag is a practical solution delivering actionable insights to solve recycling challenges.
“We’re pleased to be working with Recoup to form part of its innovative project to address recycling rates in northeast England.
“Growing numbers of stakeholders are becoming aware of the necessity of data to incite meaningful change when it comes to recycling, and we know the power this never-before-seen data can have for brands and retailers committed to delivering their sustainability goals.”
Biffa senior commercial development manager Carla Brian added: “Biffa is a pioneer in closed-loop plastic recycling, and we’re committed to exploring new technologies to further optimize resource recovery.
“We are delighted to be working with RECOUP and Polytag to gather new insights and data about plastic packaging, which will inform strategic decision-making and shape response to recycling policy in the UK.”
Meanwhile, to strengthen its portfolio and expand further in the UK, Biffa, in April, bought a stake in North Yorkshire-based PET plastic recycler, Esterpet Ltd.
Esterpet operates an advanced recycling plant near Leeds where it annually converts 25,000 tonnes of plastic flakes derived from plastic bottles into high-purity plastic pellets.
The pellets produced by the facility are used in manufacturing plastic bottles for beverages, cosmetics and household goods.
By partnering with Esterform and its other partners, Biffa plans to help drive the UK’s circular economy for plastic packaging.
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