1. Digimarc Barcode for
Print & Plastics

2. For illustration purposes only
Giving Plastics a “Digital Recycling Passport”
The digital watermark (Digimarc Barcode) is integrated into mold through “micro-topological variations”, in a 2cm x 2cm ‘tile’
Adds texture or subtle dots, but no human-recognizable structure
Can also be added to shrink sleeves and labels to improve scan rates and provide more detailed information to Materials Recovery Facilities (MRF) and upstream
Additional enhancements support front-of-store efficiency, supply chain, demand cycle, and end user applications
Virtually unlimited codes that address major challenges
Identifies manufacturer and SKU (for modulation of EPR fees)
Distinguishes between food vs non-food packaging
Identifies multi-layer flexible packaging and components of layers, carbon- black, opaque, difficult-to-recycle objects
Allows for new material introductions
Compatible with Circular Economy – no environmental impact or additives; uses ‘what is already there’ in form of plastic substrate
For illustration purposes only
Early prototype

3. True “Intelligent Sorting”
Combined Detection:
Digimarc Barcode + NIR
Incoming Feed to be Sorted
Air Jets Sort Plastics According to
Data Delivered through Signal Tile
Illustration source: TOMRA

4. Pioneer Project HolyGrail
3-year initiative and full-value project led by Procter & Gamble
To find a harmonized approach to improve detection and sorting
of plastic; digital watermarking vs chemical tracers
Top 5 identification priorities:
Food from non-food grade bottles
Recyclable vs compostable packaging
Shrink-sleeved PET bottles identification
New materials introductions
Mono vs multi material thermoform and film
Digital watermarking successfully completed all priorities and is the chosen technology for further development and commercialization
Watch the Holy Grail Summary Video

5. Purpose of Funding
Digimarc seeks funding for what is an internal start-up initiative, to provide for resources and equipment to develop the capability to embed digital identities in plastics and printed labels and be detected by sorting equipment
Digimarc’s efforts will include early R&D through industrial trials to commercial deployment and sorting equipment availability
Digimarc will establish specifications and protocols for embedding watermarking code into plastic molds, and broadly license to the packaging industry
Product manufacturers can continue to use their existing mold suppliers
Digimarc will establish specifications for sorting equipment (cameras / lighting / data management), and broadly license to sorting equipment manufacturers
Equipment manufacturers can produce watermarking-capable scanners plus added-value features