UV label technology enables real-time waste tracking
Digital watermark technology uses UV light to separate individual packaging items on a barcode level
Recycling has moved from bulk sorting to precision recovery through innovations in platforms and technology. Tools like invisible UV tags, managed through the Polytag data platform and Pellenc ST optical sorting solution, enable individual packaging items to be recognised and separated at the barcode level, allowing granular sorting and processing specifications to be accurately recovered and genuine closed-loop recycling to happen at scale.
Pellenc ST and Polytag have implemented their joint UV tag-reading and sorting solution at an operational SUEZ recycling centre, with the solution planned for the second quarter of 2026.
Building on a prototype validated at Pellenc ST's Innovation Centre, the UV detection module will be integrated into a commercial sorting line at SUEZ Avonmouth — marking a major milestone toward large-scale adoption of digital watermark technology in the recycling process.
The new module combines UV watermark reading capabilities — on GS1 open-standard data matrices, invisible to the naked eye but readable under UV light, that uniquely identify individual packaging items — with Pellenc ST's near-infrared (NIR) sorting systems.
Together, they enable packaging to be identified and sorted in real time, giving recyclers and brand owners unprecedented visibility into what is moving through their facilities.
Digital watermarks create an innovative solution to recycling at scale
This deployment will demonstrate how smart packaging and open data standards support the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation — which sets binding targets for recyclability and recycled content — and the EU's incoming requirement for products to carry a verifiable digital identity throughout their lifecycle, known as the Digital Product Passport.
"This is a major step from concept to reality," said Alice Rackley, CEO of Polytag. "By moving our joint UV tag solution from lab validation to an operational recycling line, we're proving that smart sorting technology works in the real world — not just the lab. For the first time, recyclers will be able to see exactly what packaging is moving through their facility, where it came from, and where it's going. That's the kind of visibility that turns recycling from a volume game into a precision one."
"We are proud to be the first recycling centre to host this innovative module on our sorting line," said Stuart Hayward-Higham, chief technical development and innovation officer at SUEZ U.K. "The technology will give us richer insight into the composition of the packaging we process, helping us in the long term to optimise operations and deliver higher quality recyclates to our customers."
Jean Henin, CEO of Pellenc ST, added: "Having our module running in a live recycling environment confirms its readiness for scale. This collaboration shows how open standards and innovation can transform the economics and sustainability of material recovery."
