Ink company Siegwerk has joined the HolyGrail 2.0 initiative, the aim of which is for the inclusion of smart watermarks technology in packaging to progress recycling rates.
Siegwerk is one of more than 85 companies and organisations from the complete packaging value chain that are part of HolyGrail 2.0.
The new technology works like a digital passport for packaging. Digital watermarks the size of a postage stamp are integrated multiple times into the surface of paper-based packaging. These codes are imperceptible to the human eye, but can be read by cameras, and can carry a wide range of information that can be detected on the sorting line of a waste sorting facility. This in turn is expected to result in higher-quality recyclates, which can be re-used in more new products and thus support a circular economy.
Siegwerk will contribute its expertise on packaging circularity as well as on sustainable inks and varnishes and the printing process to HolyGrail 2.0.
“We are very proud to be a member of this ambitious initiative. It perfectly fits with a key element of our circular economy objectives - targeting collection and recycling of all packaging. We are convinced that we need to transform the industry away from a linear economy towards a circular economy model. It’s critical to embrace digital and smart ways to achieve this,” said Alina Marm, head of circular economy Hub at Siegwerk.