Belgium Launches Large-Scale Trial of Digital Watermark Technology for Food Packaging Recycling

Belgium has initiated a pioneering large-scale trial to enhance the sorting of flexible food packaging using invisible digital watermarks. This innovative project, coordinated by Fost Plus, the Belgian organization for recycling household packaging, aims to improve the efficiency of sorting food packaging collected via the PMD bag, which is designated for plastic, metal, and beverage cartons.

In collaboration with major companies including Mondelēz International, Ferrero, PepsiCo, and Pladis, the trial utilizes technology that applies invisible digital watermarks to packaging. These watermarks function similarly to QR codes, carrying information about the packaging’s contents that can be read by cameras at sorting facilities. This advancement allows for a clear distinction between food and non-food packaging, which is essential given the strict regulations surrounding the use of recycled materials in food packaging.

Philippe Gendebien, Business Innovation Manager at Fost Plus, emphasized the importance of this distinction, noting that while current sorting technology can categorize packaging into 16 material streams, the new system will enable the differentiation between food and non-food items. This is particularly significant as only recycled PET from beverage bottles or trays has been permitted for reuse in food packaging until now.

The introduction of digital watermarks could significantly increase the recycling rates of flexible packaging, as Gendebien pointed out that at least 95 percent of PET packaging sorted from the PMD bin was originally food packaging, making it suitable for food-grade recycled plastic. The challenge has been in separating flexible food packaging from non-food packaging, a gap that this new technology aims to address.

This trial is part of the European HolyGrail 2030 initiative, which seeks to explore advanced sorting technologies to meet the EU’s recycling targets. Under the new European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, plastic packaging for food must contain at least 10 percent recycled material by 2030.

The sorting trials are being conducted by Fost Plus, with sorted film bales sent to a German sorting facility equipped with high-resolution cameras capable of reading the digital watermarks, developed by Digimarc and Pellenc ST. This marks the first nationwide trial in Europe utilizing post-consumer flexible packaging.

Gendebien remarked, “Belgium is already a pioneer in packaging recycling, and with HolyGrail 2030, we are taking another step forward. We are testing the technology with actual consumer-used packaging to ensure its practical effectiveness, which is crucial for achieving European targets for recycled materials in food packaging and enhancing the Belgian recycling chain.”