Jokey Group participates in the Holy Grail 2.0 initiative for innovative recycling methods
The Jokey Group has joined the Holy Grail 2.0 initiative. The aim of the recycling initiative is to significantly improve the sortability of plastic waste in order to drive the global transition towards a circular economy. Joining the initiative is a further active contribution by the Jokey Group to taking on product responsibility as part of the Jokey Eco Concept.
Holy Grail 2.0 is the follow-up project to Holy Grail 1.0 (an Ellen MacArthur Foundation project). It aims to improve the detection of recyclable material in waste recycling systems using digital watermarks. This can significantly improve the sorting of used plastics, because greater purity of plastic waste also increases the stability and quality of recyclates. Digital watermarks are able to perform useful functions throughout the entire production cycle. The watermark code, which is almost invisible to consumers, is applied to plastic packaging and easily recognised by special scanners in sorting plants. It contains information about the packaging material and its previous contents. This information can be used along the entire value chain.
Smart packaging – water mark technology can promote a circular economy
“Our membership in the Holy Grail 2.0 initiative also ties in with the development of our smart packaging, which we have been working on for several years,” emphasises Mike Weinerowski, Lead Buyer at the Jokey Group. Jokey in-mould labels with digital water marks can communicate with both mobile devices and scanner tills. “Intelligent packaging not only protects and labels the goods, but also turns out to be a true communication talent,” emphasises Mike Weinerowski. “The digitalisation of packaging offers enormous potential for a wide range of applications and can be implemented across almost all product ranges. Whether it’s for communicating with consumers or, as in the case of Holy Grail 2.0, for meaningful application in the recycling process.”
Joint efforts for the European Green Deal
Holy Grail 2.0 is the continuation of the Holy Grail project, which has been running for three years and now has over 55 members. These include large trading companies, retailers, recyclers and stakeholders. They are united by the conviction that only a collaboration between all stakeholders can successfully advance a functioning waste and circular economy. The project sees itself as a decisive contribution to the European Green Deal for a clean and circular economy. The technology is to be further developed in a test market in the near future and industrialised in the not too distant future.
