The collaboration between label printer Interket and traceability specialist Polytag has reached a further milestone with the launch of a UV readable label to assist in recycling projects.
The UV readable barcode has been tested over the last 12 months and will help retailers meet their obligations under the Extended Producer Responsibility regulations. The Polytag UV readable tag is embedded in the label artwork enabling a Materials Recovery Facility to read and identify the package to undergo treatment. The date about where, when and what can be relayed to the retailer for it to demonstrate the packaging around its product is in the recycling system. This needs the MRF to have Polytag’s Ecotrace system able to detect the tag. To date there are 15 systems in operation at facilities which handle more than half the UK’s waste streams.
The technology has been proven in stand alone closed projects. Now it is ready for widespread adoption to assist all manner or brands and retailers says Interket managing director Tim Pattison.
“Technical collaboration with Polytag was central to the success of this project. From the outset, our teams worked closely to align on technical objectives, share expertise, and tackle the challenges of creating a UV label that would perform reliably at scale, in real world recycling environments.” The approach has been proven in trials for Ocado and M&S and is being offered to other UK retailers and brands.
The Macclesfield label print and Polytag have collaborated since 2023 with work intensifying over the last year as it became apparent that the technology was robust, scaleable and reliable across substrates and production environments. Waste handling specialist Biffa has been part of the development team with a suitable reader deployed at its Teesside facility to identify the materials used in packaging, so enabling them to enter the correct processing stream in an earlier pilot project.
Now says Polytag founder and CEO Alice Rackley: “Our partnership with Interket UK has delivered a breakthrough for brands seeking clarity, compliance, and actionable recycling data.
“With Ecotrace rolling out nationwide, this UV label solution is enabling new era of transparency and EPR accountability, and we’re excited to see the industry begin using it at scale.”
