Ensure Your Packaging is NIR-Sortable

– Instantly Validate Plastics for PPWR Compliance

The New Standard: NIR Sortability is Key to Recyclability

The revised EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) sets a clear target: packaging must include at least 30% recycled content by 2030. However, recycled material can only be sourced from plastics that are actually sortable in today’s NIR-based recycling systems.

Despite being technically recyclable, many packaging formats still fail this critical test. Dark colors, metallic inks, and complex multilayers often render packaging invisible to optical sorters.

If it can’t be seen, it can’t be sorted — and that means it won’t be recycled.

This not only jeopardizes your recyclability claims but can directly impact your brand image, compliance, and long-term packaging strategy.

Contents

Test Plastic Sortability Instantly with trinamiX

Our solution combines the trinamiX PAL One handheld spectrometer with the “10 Plastics Reflectivity” software app. It allows you to:

“Your plastic may be recyclable. But is it NIR-sortable? That’s the new gold standard.”

The scanner provides reliable data wherever you are — in development labs, supplier audits, or at the packaging line. All results are securely saved to your personal customer portal.

Why It Matters

Failure to meet sortability requirements has real-world consequences:

Recyclability claims without proof risk greenwashing accusations
Brand owners may lose shelf space due to non-compliant materials
Inaccurate sustainability data weakens your ESG reporting
Poor detection reduces yield in recycling systems

Real-world audits (e.g. Susycheck, 04/2025) show recurring issues:

Black PET dispensers not detected by NIR systems
Labels and coatings blocking spectral data
Opaque multilayer films failing polymer ID

Without scientific validation, recyclability remains a promise — not a fact.

How It Works – 3 Steps to Insight

Scan your plastic sample using the PAL One NIR spectrometer
The app provides the reflectivity level and attempts to identify the polymer
Results are saved to your customer portal — including detailed PDF reports with confidence ratings

The system uses industry-validated chemometric models and follows the APR Sort-S-01 guidelines. If reflectivity is under 10%, the sample is flagged as non-sortable. However, a precise ID may still be possible based on spectral markers.

Sample results:

White PE tray:
Reflectivity 11.8%, ID: PE, subclass: LDPE → SORTABLE

Black PET bottle:
Reflectivity 4.2%, ID: PET → LIMITED SORTABILITY

Carbon black clip:
Reflectivity < 1%, ID failed → NOT DETECTABLE

Core Use Cases

1. Regulatory Approval and External Audits

For packaging manufacturers working with internal QA or external consultants (e.g. RecyClass, Susycheck) to certify PPWR compliance.

2. Packaging R&D and Additive Testing

For development teams testing formulations and packaging designs: These use cases drive faster innovation and more compliant design cycles.

Who Should Use This Tool?

Whether you’re developing new packaging or validating existing formats, this tool gives you a decisive advantage.

Product Highlights

Compact NIR spectrometer: PAL One (battery life ~6,000 scans)
Software: 10 Plastics Reflectivity App (Android, iOS, Windows)
Polymer types: PET, HDPE, LDPE, PP, PVC, PS, ABS, PC, PA, PLA
Result within seconds, stored in encrypted cloud portal
PDF report with reflectivity, polymer ID, and sortability rating
Secure architecture: AES-256 encryption, BASF Microsoft Azure cloud
API integration and semi-automated sorting table compatibility

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Let’s make your packaging circular by design — with clarity, compliance, and confidence.