The Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) Centre for Excellence, funded by the Welsh Government, has awarded over £100,000 to Polytag to install four Plastic Detection Units in Wales.
Recycling technology firm Polytag plan to use the funding to install Plastic Detection Units at material recovery facilities (MRFs) in Conwy, Gwynedd, Pembrokeshire, and Anglesey.
The funding has been granted to Polytag as part of an upcoming circular economy innovation project to help the Welsh public sector achieve net zero by 2030.
The Plastic Detection Units, developed in partnership with Welsh company EBS, scan and collect data on individual products at barcode level as they enter the recycling stream.
By scanning Polytag’s UV watermarks affixed to products, the Plastic Detection Units gather data on the types and quantities of materials being recycled at barcode level.
Polytag said the units will reveal a full picture of the recycling landscape to support a number of council districts looking to increase recycled household waste.
This partnership is another remarkable move by the Welsh Government towards a fully circular economy.
Alice Rackley, CEO of Polytag, commented: “This partnership is another remarkable move by the Welsh Government towards a fully circular economy.
“This fund will enable us to install our award-winning technology at four key sites that see large amounts of waste and recycling in Wales and help provide invaluable data that will enable brands to take responsibility for their packaging.”
“This funding is just the first step to support the work Wales is already doing to raise recycling rates and open the door to brands who want to learn when, where, and how much of its packaging is recycled.”
Polytag said it will also work alongside regional and national brands to integrate its UV watermarks with its GS1-approved consumer-facing QR codes to trace packaging throughout the recycling journey.
