MULTIVAC, specialist in packaging, processing, labeling and quality control solutions has joined forces with FiliGrade Sustainable Watermarks and Bond Seafood. The three companies are thus making an important contribution to large-scale recycling of plastic.
CurvCode, developed by FiliGrade Sustainable Watermarks, makes it possible to sort waste into different types of food and non-food plastic. The newly designed recyclable fish packaging with CurvCode from Bond Seafood is now on the shelves in supermarkets in The Netherlands.
For the development of this recycled PET (rPET fish packaging) MULTIVAC cooperated with one of its production partners. A nice bonus is that with this, a Dutch innovation for the digital coding of plastics has been introduced: CurvCode.
Missing link
Plastic soup, plastic pollution, plastic waste ending up in the incinerator. The waste problem is a hot issue worldwide. Plastic has fantastic properties and is often irreplaceable, but the waste problem is and remains huge. To contribute to a solution, FiliGrade Sustainable Watermarks from Eindhoven has developed the digital watermark CurvCode. With CurvCode, food packaging can be removed from household waste and sorted into different types of plastic. These pure residual streams are suitable for recycling into new food packaging. This is a major step towards using plastic waste as raw material for food packaging and transitioning to a sustainable plastic chain.
Ready for recycling
CurvCode works like Braille. PET packaging is marked with a number of raised dots that allow the plastic type to be recognized. Thus, waste processors using CurvCode detection equipment can mechanically separate different types of plastics from each other. This is an important step towards deploying plastic food packaging within a circular plastic chain. This new tray with CurvCode from Bond Seafood is the first in the Netherlands.
Chain cooperation
Han Meiberg on behalf of FiliGrade Sustainable Watermarks: “And that is what we want to achieve. Collaboration in the production and waste chain is crucial. CurvCode is a chain solution. We are proud of the fact that we have now formed a coalition of around 30 parties who are united in their determination to further tackle the waste and sorting problem in the Netherlands. We want to accelerate and believe in high-quality sorting and recycling, in the Netherlands, and then also in the rest of Europe.”
Less environmental impact
Bond Seafood puts its money where its mouth is by jointly developing a tray that has less environmental impact. Marcel Bond: “After an intensive preparation period in which the MULTIVAC team continually thought along with us and tested it, it is wonderful that we are the first (fish) producer to collaborate on this innovation in waste separation. At supermarkets trays with, for example, smoked mackerel and herring fillets are now on the shelves.
Pioneering
Bond Seafood has long been open to and actively working on better waste separation and reuse of plastic packaging. “We would like to be a forerunner and do our bit to improve the reuse of this type of packaging and therefore also see ourselves as a (co)pioneer. Last year, for example, we switched to fully mono PET material for all our packaging. As far as we are concerned, CurvCode is a new step in the right direction. To work together towards better waste separation.”
Mart de Koning of MULTIVAC, about CurvCode: “We like to contribute to sustainable (environmental) solutions. We think along, test and fine-tune the packaging and the machines. This initiative, with Bond Seafood and FiliGrade Sustainable Watermarks, with support from the retail market, is a great example of a win-win situation.”
Join us and recycle
Han Meiberg: “We see waste separation as a societal problem, so we are always open to chain partners who are interested. Parties who want to participate are welcome to apply.”
MULTIVAC develops customized packaging solutions that are relevant to the customer and provides appropriate support for the growth, innovation and sustainable success of the company. In concrete terms, this means the supply of the right packaging machine with the right packaging material, including advice and testing. A total concept that takes the pressure off customers. MULTIVAC, operating worldwide, maintains good relations with its customers and puts a great deal of effort into preserving a long-term relationship.