Digimarc Recycle represents a revolution in the sortation, and thus recycling, of plastic waste. By linking covert digital watermarks (used to deterministically identify plastic packaging to any desired level of granularity) with an extensible cloud-based repository of product attributes (such as brand, SKU, product variant, packaging composition, food/non-food/cosmetics use, etc.), Digimarc Recycle overcomes the limitations of today’s optical sorting technologies to drive a step change in the quality and quantity of recyclate. This improvement also unlocks new end markets for post-consumer recyclate that do not exist today. Moreover, the information used to drive this advanced sortation in facilities provides product-specific and location-based disposal instructions via a brand-owned direct-to-consumer digital communication channel accessed via on-pack watermarks or QR codes.
“Digimarc applauds the vision and action of the France team and its pioneering member organizations, including P&G, L’Oreal, Henkel, Veolia, CITEO, and Pellenc ST,” said Riley McCormack, Digimarc President & CEO. “Moreover, we are committed to working alongside this group to expand the rollout to other facility operators, brands and retailers in France, because when the only thing that stands in the way of progress is inertia, true leadership is defined by those who take action.”
