Whereabouts unknown – plastic tracing technologies for circularity
This report by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH looks at plastic material tracing in the context of a circular economy, with a particular focus on the technologies, challenges, and opportunities involved. Globally, about 10% of plastic is currently recycled, and with plastic consumption projected to double by 2060, this is a significant environmental risk. A barrier to increasing recycling is a lack of transparency and information about plastic recycling, making recycling and recuse difficult.
This report offers three technological approaches to removing this barrier:
1) Physical markers and tracers: This will make it easier to sort plastic waste in facilities, for example to sort between food-grade and non-food-grade plastics.
2) Digital watermarks: These will provide information on manufacturer, material type, and recyclability to facilities through the use of high-resolution cameras.
3) Digital Product Passports (DPPs): This will create a digital framework that stores lifecycle data on plastics to ensure their circularity.
Implementing these technological solutions will not be easy. There are economic barriers, and there is also a risk of excluding the Global South due to the high costs and specialized skills necessary. This report has three recommendations for solutions:
1) Leveling the playing field: Fossil-based plastics must take responsibility for the environmental costs so recycled materials are price-competitive.
2) Upstream incentives: Producers who design for recyclability should be rewarded through the use of tracing data.
3) Inclusive governance: Global standards need to be made adaptable to local conditions and informal waste sectors.
