Did you know that 84,878 tons of food-grade plastic could be reused if it were properly sorted? This is mostly due to polypropylene because it is difficult to separate food grade polypropylene from non-food grade polypropylene. 

However, Plastic Packaging Recycling using Intelligent Separation technologies for Materials (PRISM) has created and tested high performing luminescent materials for labels on plastic packaging. The fluorescent markers are printed on labels or sleeves. When mixed plastic is on a conveyor belt in a recycling facility, a ultraviolet (UV) sorting system identifies the PRISM label and sorts the plastic into the property category.  The fluorescent markers allow for recyclers to distinguish between food-grade and nonfood-grade polymers including black plastics and full-length shrink-sleeves. 

The technology has gone through its first commercial trials for a large international drinks company and provides a promising future for brand owners wishing to recover their packaging.