MATERIALS | SMART PACKAGING
of packaging waste at scale, enabling new recy- cling streams that currently do not exist,” according to Michelle Gibbons, director general of the organisation. The semi-industrial tests began in October 2021,
which replicated real-world industrial conditions. Comprehensive tests were performed on around 125,000 pieces of packaging at 3 m/s belt speed, with soiling, crushing and throughput representing routine industrial operations. Additional tests were performed at 4.5 m/s – with severe soiling and crushing – which did not affect performance.
Above: Oli-Tec’s intelligent label will help reduce food waste – and cut greenhouse gas emissions
temperatures and more quickly in warm conditions. This provides a clear, visible ‘call to action’ for both retailers and consumers. The technology can be tailored to the product being labelled, using customisable expiry periods and personalised graphics. Labels are made from standard recyclable label stock materials and can be activated and automatically applied using traditional high-speed label applicators. OliTec says that a study conducted in Denmark showed that the smart labels reduced in-store food waste by 20%. The company says similar reductions could be achieved at home – if products had a visual label rather than a printed ‘use by’ or ‘best before’. “We wanted to develop a technology that is easy
to integrate into the complex processes in the supply chain and in-store, so each label could play some part in reducing waste,” said Nik Richardson, CEO of Oli-Tec.
Test validation The ‘digital watermarks’ initiative (also known as Holy Grail 2.0) – coordinated by AIM – has com- pleted semi-industrial validation of a prototype sorting unit. Results show that the digital watermark technol- ogy can achieve more granular sorting of packag- ing waste at scale – such as developing separate food and other PCR streams that currently do not exist. This would open up new recycling streams and
overcome the limitations of existing near-infrared (NIR) sorting technologies, said AIM. The prototype system achieved high detection
rates of different plastics – of typically 99% accuracy. In addition, it achieved an average 95% range for ejection and the same for purity. “We have achieved our objective of proving that digital watermarks can increase intelligent sorting
40 FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION | November 2022
Ripening bananas DK11 K-Resin from Ineos Styrolution has been used to make controlled atmosphere packaging (CAP) film for better fruit preservation. It says that Chinese banana farmers have used it to control the ripening of bananas during transportation from Yunnan to other coastal regions in China. The tough, high clarity film preserves the
freshness, colour and integrity of the fruit while allowing to ripen organically ripen, without the use of preservatives or ripener during transportation. “We are very pleased with the performance of
the CAP film,” said Jary Liao, director of transparent specialities for Asia-Pacific at the company. “Its excellent gas permeability allows for the organic ripening of the bananas, while preserving the shelf life of the fruit especially during long journeys.”
Design book RecyClass says its Design Book is a practical guide clarifying the concepts of recyclability and design based on a science-driven approach. It provides a step-by-step explanation and guidance on how to produce rigid and flexible plastic packaging to make it more compatible with recycling. As well as providing insights into how Design for
Recycling guidelines work, the document also looks into the realities of sorting and recycling processes and how they determine packaging recyclability. “Design for Recycling is a crucial first step in ensuring that a product will be recyclable at the end of its use phase,” said Paolo Glerean, chairman of RecyClass.
CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: �
www.aimplas.es �
www.oli-tec.com �
www.digitalwatermarks.eu �
www.ineos-styrolution.com �
https://recyclass.eu
www.filmandsheet.com
IMAGE: OLITEC
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