NextLoopp may well be on the way towards a solution that will satisfy both the needs of brand owners and recyclers. Aiming to demonstrate the feasibility of its PolyPrism technology, trials were conducted at Tomra, which showed the efficacy of the technology.
PolyPrism is a simple but highly effective technology that makes use of luminescent materials, which are applied to plastic packaging labels or sleeves, creating a kind of invisible barcode for plastics recycling. On entering the sorting system, this code is ‘read’ with the help of a UV light source, enabling the waste to be directed into the proper recycling stream.
For these trials, Tomra’s Autosort unit, called Flying Beam, with integrated UV illumination was used. Direct spectophotometric measurements analysed the strength of the fluorescence emissions to ensure that there was sufficient fluorescent signal to enable the sorting of food-grade labelled packs.
The trials resulted in 100 percent purity and 100 percent yield during internal tests. As the next step, the NextLoopp team is now working with MCC Verstraete, one of the 48 participants in the project, to showcase NextCycle IML, a new generation of in-mould labels that features automatic detachment and removal during conventional recycling processes.
NextCycle IML consists of an adhesive-free, fully printed (with non-bleeding inks) PP label wrapped-around a PP tub that is separated from the containers at the grinding and air elutriation stages. This technology, which readily separates printed label flakes from natural PP container flakes and avoids the risk of ink and decoration contamination, would allow the use of fully decorated IML containers that can be recycled back into natural PP free from print and label residues.
Further trials are scheduled on NextLoopp participant branded products to demonstrate the viability of the new technology.