MacDermid joins HolyGrail 2.0 project

HolyGrail 2.0 is a pilot project to prove the viability of digital watermarking technologies for accurate sorting and consequently higher-quality recycling, as well as the business case at a large scale. 

MacDermid is one of more than 100 companies and organizations from the complete packaging value chain, which are part of HolyGrail 2.0. The initiative has ambitious goals to solve the complexities surrounding the recycling of post-consumer plastic packaging for a truly circular economy.

Digital watermarks are imperceptible codes covering the surface of consumer goods packaging. These codes can be read by cameras and encode a wide range of attributes such as manufacturer, SKU, type of plastics used and composition for multilayer objects, food vs. non-food usage, etc. The information can be used throughout the entire packaging value chain. Ultimately, when the packaging reaches a waste sorting facility, the digital watermarks can be detected and encoded on the sorting line, which can sort the packaging in corresponding streams. This would result in better and more accurate sorting streams, higher quality recyclates to be re-used, supporting a circular economy model. 

‘We are thrilled to join this ambitious initiative along with renowned companies like Amcor, P&G, Sonoco, and Pepsico. As a flexographic plate and platemaking supplier, we have a unique perspective of optimizing print solutions that integrate digital watermarks in package printing,’ said Matt Bennett, vice president for EMEA at MacDermid Graphics Solutions.  

MacDermid will contribute its expertise on optimizing flexographic plates to implement digital watermarking and the overall printing process to HolyGrail 2.0.