At the moment, it looks like the plastics recycling industry is skimming only low-hanging fruits of its business. To reach intended targets, a greater effort and disruptive innovations are necessary. Physical- or digital-information-based solutions for tracking plastic material can support the circular economy and help to overcome hurdles along the value chain. In this paper, the scientific literature and initiatives in four different technology areas for information-based tracking solutions are reviewed and analyzed. Physical markers can improve sorting efficiencies on short notice but adhere some technical difficulties. Blockchain as a new concept promises high transparency and security, with the drawbacks of energy-intense verification and technical uncertainties. As a third group, the digital product passport claims a combination of physical and digital solutions with open questions on data ownership. The fourth and last group includes standards and certification systems that aim for maximum consensus with slow market implementation. To enable an integrated circular economy of plastics, plastic material tracking solutions must experience broad acceptance by all players along the value chain in the plastics industry and they should additionally be supported by society.

The Digital Product Passport (DPP) as a product-specific data set is a powerful tool that provides information on the origin or composition of products and increases transparency and traceability. This recycling case study accompanies the production of 2192 frisbees, which originated from collected beverage bottle caps. In total, 486.7 kg of feedstock was collected and transformed into 363.2 kg of final product with verified traceability through all process steps via a DPP, provided by the R-Cycle initiative and based on the GS1 standard. This demanded a generally agreed dataset, the availability of technical infrastructure, and additional effort in the processing steps to collect and process the data. R-Cycle offers a one-layer DPP where the data structure is lean and information is visible to everyone. This is beneficial to a variety of stakeholders in terms of transparency. However, it does not allow the sharing of sensitive information. On the one hand, the DPP has a high potential to be an enabler for customer engagement, origin verification, or as a starting point for more efficient and advanced recycling of plastics. On the other hand, the DPP involves a certain effort in data generation and handling, which must be justified by the benefits. For small, simple packaging items, the DPP may not be the perfect solution for all problems. However, with a broader societal mindset and legislative push, the DPP can become a widely used and trusted declaration tool. This can support the plastics industry in its journey towards a circular economy.

Plastic packaging materials can play a significant role in turning the plastic industry towards a circular economy, owing to their large volumes and short product lifetimes. This study emphasizes the role and interaction of design for recycling (DfR), appropriate specifications, and efficient sorting. DfR is enhancing the recyclability of plastic packaging by selecting appropriate materials and designs, improving the quality of recyclates without compromising safety or the original requirement. A significant barrier to achieving a circular economy is the lack of comprehensive standards for recycled plastics. While some specifications exist, a more integrated and globally accepted standardization regime, similar to that in the aerospace industry, is necessary to ensure quality and consistency in recycled materials. The potential of advanced sorting technologies to improve sorting efficiency and feedstock quality is highlighted, significantly enhancing recovery yields and the quality of recyclates. Information-based tracking technologies, such as digital watermarks, offer substantial benefits in identifying and sorting materials with high granularity, improving sorting mechanisms, enhancing resource recovery, and providing valuable data for stakeholders across the plastic value chain. The implementation of information-based technologies can reduce production costs and environmental impacts, with exemplary calculations indicating a potential 30% reduction in the production cost of PP recyclate.

Plastics are worldwide recognized, versatile materials that are commonly deployed in many different applications and products of our everyday life's. The worldwide plastic production reached 375.5 ...