GERMANY – Henkel, a prominent consumer goods and adhesives company known for brands like Schwarzkopf, Persil, and Pritt, has partnered with TOMRA Recycling to enhance the sorting and recycling of its packaging.
Henkel is deploying TOMRA’s AUTOSORT detection system in its test laboratory in Düsseldorf, Germany, to test the recyclability of its packaging before market introduction.
Alba Santmarti, Henkel Consumer Brands Packaging Sustainability Manager, emphasized the importance of this initiative, “Design for Recycling is an integral part of the product development process at Henkel. We invest in our in-house capacities to check the sortability of our consumer goods packaging at an early stage.
“This is the only way to recycle valuable materials in subsequent steps and close material cycles.”
TOMRA’s AUTOSORT system, equipped with advanced sensor technology, identifies material types and colors crucial for recyclability.
The system’s near-infrared and visible imaging sensors allow for the precise detection of various materials, including polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and paper.
With AUTOSORT installed in approximately 100 countries, Henkel can now replicate real-life industrial plant conditions, streamlining the process to achieve optimal results.
Volker Rehrmann, TOMRA Recycling EVP and Head, highlighted the importance of sorting in recycling, “Sorting is an essential step in ensuring that packaging can be recycled instead of ending up in incineration plants.
“At TOMRA, we know how product packaging needs to be designed so that modern sorting technologies can recognize it clearly, and we have made it our mission to share this knowledge.
“A functioning circular economy is only possible if everyone involved in the value chain works together. That’s why collaborations like the one with Henkel are so important.”
In a separate initiative, Henkel has also partnered with BOBST to optimize machine operations and develop environmentally conscious adhesives, paper-based flexible packaging barriers, and more.
This collaboration merges BOBST’s expertise in processing, printing, and converting equipment with Henkel’s proficiency in adhesives, sealants, and functional coatings, promising innovative and sustainable packaging solutions.
BOBST’s sustainability strategy focuses on four pillars: sustainability, digitalization, automation, and connectivity.
Under sustainability, BOBST concentrates on three areas: operations, including energy, water, and waste management; equipment, aimed at reducing machine energy consumption and extending machine life; and packaging use and end-of-life, striving for environmentally improved packaging solutions.
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