Sun Chemical has signed up to the HolyGrail 2.0 digital watermarks initiative.
Facilitated by AIM, the European Brands Association, the Digital Watermarks Initiative HolyGrail 2.0 pilot project aims to revolutionise the way waste is sorted and recycled, and to increase the commercial value of waste so that it can be reused again as a resource. This will enable better sorting and higher quality recycling rates for packaging in the EU, thereby driving the move towards a circular economy.
This sees postage stamp sized watermarks on packaging used to effectively sort the material into specific waste streams. This makes it possible to separate materials more accurately and generate new waste streams, it is claimed, which then can be recycled with enhanced recycling technologies. These digital watermarks also provide other opportunities. For example, consumers can use a smartphone app to find details about the packaging and how to recycle it, and brand owners can add product details as well.
Those already to have backed HolyGrail 2.0 include ABInBev, All4Labels, Amcor, Avery Dennison, CEFLEX, Coca-Cola, Constantia, Danone, Digimarc, Dow, General Mills, Henkel, Kellogg’s, Kraft Heinz, L’Oreal, Mondelez International, Mondi, PepsiCo, P&G, Siegwerk, Stora Enso and Unilever.
By lending its support, Sun Chemical is seeking to facilitate a ‘more circular economy’ in line with its own sustainability goals.
Nicolas Betin, director of product strategy, EMEA and global sustainability business leader, packaging inks and materials, Sun Chemical, commented, ‘Digital watermarks for smart packaging offer an innovative measure for changing the way packaging waste is sorted, so we are excited to explore the full potential of such solutions. We are delighted to be a part of such a ground-breaking project that could make a significant difference towards achieving better recycling and, ultimately, a more circular economy, in line with Sun Chemical’s own sustainability goals.’
