German packaging specialist Paccor (Zell; www.paccor.com) says it can help improve recycling rates with identification technology developed by US-based Digimarc Corporation (Beaverton, Oregon; www.digimarc.com). One advantage of the technology is that it can be “extended imperceptibly” over the entire label surface without interfering with the package design, according to the company.

Digimarc’s barcode can be added to the surface of rigid plastic packaging without any extra markings such as labels or direct print, Paccor noted. The barcodes, said to be “visually imperceptible” can be read by recycling machine scanners or smart phones, giving consumers access to information about the composition of the packaging.

Paccor CCO Nicolas Lorenz said, “For the first time, waste with digital identity enables us to sort packaging efficiently. For example, the scanner in the sorting system recognises whether a container was used for food or non-food products, sorts all coloured packaging – including black – or receives information on whether the reusable material can be recycled or composted.”