Further developments with longstanding partner Biffa, a leader in sustainable waste management. The collaboration further extends coverage of Polytag’s network in the UK, laying critical groundwork for real-time packaging traceability in the capital city, London, for household brands.
Strides Towards Tracking Goals
This collaboration comes as Polytag makes considerable progress on our mission to install 12 Plastic Detection Units at MRFs across the UK, which will provide coverage of over 50% of the UK’s household recycling stream through the Ecotrace Programme. Since the Programme was launched in July 2024, the Plastic Detection Unit at Biffa’s Edmonton MRF marks the seventh installation.
Biffa’s Edmonton MRF, one of the UK’s largest, handles 250,000 tonnes of waste annually, originating from household recycling collections primarily in London and surrounding counties. Polytag’s technology used at this high-volume facility marks a significant step towards understanding and optimising the use of data capture in recycling and supports clients with meaningful insights into recycling rates in this densely populated region.
Craig Konczak, Business Director – Biffa MRFs & PRFs, said:
“With growing demand for improved visibility and traceability of packaging and products across the value chain, from cradle to grave, digital tracking tools have the potential to revolutionise recycling.
That’s why we’re delighted to be working with Polytag to gather new insights into the real-world application of these tools and explore the data being retrieved from our recovery facilities.
In the future, tools such as these have the potential to improve the visibility of material flows in the UK, provide greater insights into recycling behaviour, and help to inform strategic decision-making and recycling policy in the UK.”
Alice Rackley, CEO of Polytag:
“As Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and Simpler Recycling regulations come into effect, businesses face a pressing need for accurate, real-time data about the lifecycle of recycled packaging materials. Developing our collaboration with Biffa comes at the perfect moment for us, granting access to barcode-level packaging data within the UK’s most populated city for the first time. Through our Ecotrace Programme, this will help our brand clients understand the complex recycling journey of packaging in London while allowing them to stay ahead of complicated legislative changes. Please get in touch to support our Ecotrace Programme, if your brand needs this insight – we would be delighted to welcome you onboard!”
A Push for Transparency
Brands must stop guessing and start knowing if packaging is getting recycled in order to comply with legislation such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Here, brands need accurate third-party verified data to benchmark progress and report on these targets. This data brings traceability to packaging and product flows in the UK, with the aim of helping inform legislative benchmarks and support the growing transition towards a circular plastic economy.