MWIR Imaging Cracks the Black Plastic Sorting Challenge!

Global plastic pollution management faces new challenges, and the recycling of black plastics urgently needs a breakthrough. As an important material widely used in the automotive manufacturing, electronic products, and food packaging sectors, black plastics are favored for their excellent durability and functionality. However, they have become a "persistent issue" in environmental management due to technological bottlenecks in recycling.

According to the Color Masterbatch Industry Network, the current global annual plastic production has exceeded 380 million tons, with black plastics accounting for about 15%. However, in the recycling process, traditional near-infrared (NIR) sorting technology struggles to identify carbon black-colored black plastics, resulting in a large amount of recyclable materials being misclassified and ultimately ending up in landfills or incinerators. This technical bottleneck severely restricts the achievement of recycled plastic usage targets in regions such as the European Union.

Mid-wave infrared (MWIR) hyperspectral imaging technology has emerged to address this industry challenge. Unlike traditional NIR technology, MWIR systems can accurately capture the characteristic signals of plastic molecules within the 3-5 micron spectral range, overcoming color limitations to achieve precise classification. This technology automatically sorts materials on conveyor belts through high-speed scanning combined with intelligent algorithms, significantly improving the recovery rate and purity of black plastics.

In the automotive manufacturing sector, this technology can effectively recycle black plastic components such as dashboards and bumpers; in the electronics industry, it enables the reuse of black casings from discarded devices; and black trays from food packaging can also be given new life. This not only helps companies meet the recycling targets set by the EU End-of-Life Vehicles Directive and Packaging Waste Directive, but also significantly reduces production costs.

From the perspective of environmental benefits, the application of MWIR technology will reduce plastic landfill volume, lower carbon emissions, and promote the development of a circular economy. Economically, enterprises can save on raw material procurement costs and avoid penalties for failing to meet recycling standards. This innovative technology is becoming an important tool to help achieve global sustainable development goals, especially in the context of increasingly stringent Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations.

Industry experts point out that the commercialization of mid-wave infrared hyperspectral imaging technology marks a new era for black plastic recycling. With the promotion and widespread adoption of this technology, the plastic recycling industry will overcome color limitations and move toward a more efficient and precise new stage, contributing innovative solutions to global environmental governance.