UK-based recycling technology specialist Polytag and waste management company Biffa have collaborated with three retailers in the country to deliver 'unprecedented' data for the life cycle of packaging.

The three retailers include Ocado Retail, the Co-op, and Aldi, a report by Circular Online noted.

This latest effort has been launched as part of British organisation RECOUP’s 'Bottle to Bottle' project, which Biffa and Polytag have undertaken in cooperation with label printer Interket UK, Arla Foods, and Müller Milk & Ingredients.

Under the 26-week-long programme, water bottles from the Co-op and milk bottles from Aldi and Ocado will be marked with UV 2D tags that will be printed by Interket UK.

These bottles will then pass through a plastic conveyer embedded with Polytag’s UV tag reader, which is installed at Biffa’s Teesside material recycling facility in North East England.

Polytag will then provide monitoring analytics via its dashboard, allowing associated retailers to access real-time data insights on where, when, and how much of their packaging has been recycled.

This in turn will allow the retailers to optimise their sustainability strategies accordingly.

Polytag CEO Alice Rackley said: “We are pleased to be working with RECOUP to form part of its innovative project to address recycling rates in North East England.

“Growing numbers of stakeholders are becoming aware of the necessity of data to incite meaningful change when it comes to recycling, and we know the power this never-before-seen data can have for brands and retailers committed to delivering their sustainability goals.”

Biffa senior commercial development manager Carla Brian said: “Biffa is a pioneer in closed-loop plastic recycling, and we’re committed to exploring new technologies to further optimise resource recovery.

“We are delighted to be working with RECOUP and Polytag to gather new insights and data about plastic packaging, which will inform strategic decision-making and shape response to recycling policy in the UK.”