Researchers Zoe Schyns, Thomas Bennett, and Michael Shaver from the Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub (SMI Hub), within the Henry Royce Institute at the University of Manchester, are developing a breakthrough technology for measuring recycled content in plastics and packaging.

Their patent pending innovation, which makes use of fluorescent molecular markers, was spun-out from the University last year as a not-for-profit company called ReCon² Ltd. Addressing the various shortcomings and lack of transparency in current recycled content quantification systems based on mass flow analyses, ReCon²’s technology is an analytical methodology that can be tracked through the entire lifecycle of a plastic article, and used to verify recycled content through a rapid and accurate measurement on the article directly.

In 2022, the ReCon² team demonstrated at lab scale the ability to quantitatively determine the recycled content of marked batches of three of the most widely used packaging plastics (high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). These three plastics alone encompass approximately 40% of total EU plastic use. Importantly, the marker is non-toxic, does not alter the physical properties of the plastic it’s added to (including appearance), and works even in the presence of coloured dyes and other common plastic additives.

Working with On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL) Ltd and a consortium of sponsors across the plastics sector, ReCon² will undertake a series of pilot scale tests over the coming months as well as developing an associated Trust Mark to be printed on packaging labels once the technology goes live later this year.

ReCon²’s director Dr Thomas Bennett stated: “We are excited to undertake this journey with our sponsors and engage with the plastics and packaging sectors to create a fit-for-purpose innovation.” We believe our technology is an important step towards a circular economy for plastics use in the UK and beyond.”