Chemical ‘barcodes’ tested to help sort plastics

A new partnership is working to use digitization technology to better identify plastics with different additives or chemistries.

Security Matters (SMX), a company that focuses on digitizing physical objects to help create a circular and closed loop economy, is working with the North American Flame Retardant Alliance (NAFRA) and the International Bromine Council (BSEF) to help recycling plant operators track and trace plastics that have different additives or chemistries.

The project will demonstrate SMX’s new scanning technology that uses a chemical-based “hidden barcode” system to identify plastics branded with the barcode and send them to the appropriate destination.

NAFRA and BSEF are providing the funding for their member companies to install the readers and the barcodes, a press release noted. 

Robert Simon, NAFRA and American Chemistry Council representative, said in the press release that the project “has the potential to help support plastics recycling by improving efficiencies, removing unnecessary steps and barriers and helping deliver the products to the right place more quickly.” 

SMX envisions several different industry sectors using its technology, including fashion.