Blockchain-based system reveals recycled plastic history using a QR code

When you shop for groceries today, you come across many bottles, containers or tubs with a stamp that says, “Made from recycled plastic.” Conversely, according to a report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), only 9 percent of plastic is recycled worldwide. How many of these claims are just greenwashing? It is now possible to know more, after an Italian company launched a system to track and certify the quality of recycled plastic.

PlasticFinder – an international marketplace for plastics – has introduced a blockchain-based system to store all information about recycled plastic goods. Certified recycled plastic (CRP) offers the platform’s users a way to declare recycled plastic in accordance with EU regulations. For buyers and sellers, it is a win-win situation, as the buyer can trust the quality, and the seller can declare quality according to the highest EU standards. Furthermore, after each purchase on the website, buyers receive a QR code where all information about that product is available.

From thousands of successful transactions on their website, the Italian company acquired solid knowledge in the plastic trade. Originally, CRP was conceived as a back-end tool for the marketplace to check the quality of goods. “The innovative idea lies in transcribing all product information in an immutable register to provide a declaration of the product’s quality. Once we realized that it worked and that it was in compliance with the regulations, we had the idea of ​​it as an additional service to the users of the platform spring, says Riccardo Parrini, CEO of PlasticFinder.

Riccardo Parrini

CEO of PlasticFinder

Educated in law, he has a background as a tech start-up entrepreneur.

Blockchain for recycled plastics

“In our many years of experience, we noticed that providing businesses with a place to shop for plastic was not the only service needed. We realized there was no way to give customers certainty that they were actually buying recycled plastic, adds Parrini. Improving security and trust were some of the reasons that motivated the company to use blockchain technology.

In a nutshell, a blockchain is a digital ledger. It consists of a list of records – called blocks – each linked to the previous one by a so-called cryptographic hash. This creates a chain. In addition, blockchain transactions cannot be reversed, meaning that the data in a given block cannot be changed. This system allows information to be stored securely so that it is always available for reference. PlasticFinder found it to be the safest way to protect buyers and sellers.

Legal standards

To define plastic as recycled, the material must meet several standards. These include the material source and the amount of recycled material. With regard to this, Italy has one of the most advanced regulations; The European Union itself drew inspiration from it. Declaring that a lot of plastic is recycled takes place via an international standard, the so-called UNI14021.

On the Certified Recycled Plastic platform, the plastic converter fills in a form with the material’s origin and history. “Through the service, manufacturers can declare the amount of recycled material used,” Parrini continues to explain. “On the other hand, the buyer has the right to check whether the material has been recycled. CRP does not certify itself, but is preparation for certifying a product. In other words, our system can be used to transcribe data, and help merchants with authorization checks as well.”

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Recycled goods or waste?

Dealing with waste and production by-products can be very difficult. If you do not meet all the criteria required by law to fall into the desired category, the material will be moved to another. Details make a difference and can cost companies money and time.

PlasticFinder started as and is still a marketplace to help companies with these tasks. Companies can buy and sell recycled plastic, industrial by-products, slow-moving inventory and new plastic. It doesn’t differ much from other e-commerce platforms. Sellers post listings and buyers can browse items on the site to find what they’re looking for. In addition to the steps involved in an online purchase, after PlasticFinder’s quality checks, the buyer can refuse the product if it does not meet the standards. The website also acts as a guarantee for the transaction and binds the two parties through a smart contract.

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Tracking for quality

Recycled plastic is now a hot topic, for several reasons. By 2030, the EU is considering introducing a requirement that plastic food packaging must be made from 30 per cent recycled material. Furthermore, a plastic tax is adopted by EU member states, which pressures companies to stop buying new plastic and buy recycled plastic instead. From 2023 onwards, each kilo of virgin or single-use plastic will be charged €0.45 cents in Italy. Spain has used the same fee for each kilogram of disposable packaging since January last year.

Certification is relevant not only to verify whether the material is recycled, but also to control its quality. “Consumers are now sensitized to the issue and are willing to spend more if the material is recycled to help the environment. Are we always sure that these plastics are safe? They are also used for food containers. While for new plastics you can track quality, for recycled objects, it is not possible as there is no clear information. It is key that we also track recycled plastic batch by batch,” asserts Parrini.

Soon the Certified Recycled Plastic stamp will appear on the recycled plastic products that fill the supermarket shelves. Plastic Finder works with food packaging companies to give end consumers the ability to see the timeline of the bottle they purchased.