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Most black packaging is characterized by the presence of CARBON BLACK.
What is CARBON BLACK?
Carbon black is a form of soot with a high surface/volume ratio. Thus, it is mainly used as a pigment for black packaging production, but this causes environmental problems. In fact, the systems used in recycling centres are notable to recognise carbon black.
So, the packaging that contains it cannot be sorted properly.
Carbon black is produced from the partial combustion of fossil raw materials, mostly from oil.
How can we recycle black plastic properly?
Sorting plants are equipped with infrared sensors (NIR), which are able to detect and sort plastic materials.
However, infrared sensors (NIR) are not able to detect the packaging that contains carbon black pigments. So, this type of packaging will be rejected for incineration or landfill.
Luckily, Black plastic has now overcome a major challenge in terms of the recycling process. Do you want know how?
Induplast Packaging Group, thanks to its continuous commitment to research, has introduced some important innovation. Now, black packaging can be recycled too.
Carbon Black has been replaced with a new black pigment, Carbon BlackFree, which can be detected by infrared sensors. In this way, NIR detectors, installed in waste sorting plants, can recognise this new pigment.
If black packaging can be recognised, it can also be recycled and used to create new products, extending the lifecycle of plastic.
Is choosing light colors for packaging the best solution?
Considering the choice of lighter colors is not always the correct solution to avoid Carbon Black, as darker shades are also needed for packaging, especially for UV-sensitive products, so it is always recommended to use carbon black free pigments, not only for black but for any type of darker color, so that the packaging can remain in the recycling stream.
At Induplast Packaging Group, we love to play with shapes and colours, always looking for new opportunities in materials and technologies. We are continuously exploring new frontiers that contribute to supporting and developing a green culture within the packaging industry.
