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    "headline": "PepsiCo, Mondelēz, Pladis Join EU Flexible Plastic Digital Watermark Trial",
    "dek": "Major food manufacturers join a Belgian trial to test digital watermarks for sorting flexible plastic packaging.",
    "prose": "PepsiCo, Mondelēz International, and Pladis (owner of McVitie's) are participating in a national trial of digital watermarks for flexible plastic packaging in Belgium. [^1]\n\nFost Plus, the organization responsible for packaging waste recycling in Belgium, is leading a trial to test digital watermarking technology on flexible food packaging. [^2]\n\nDigital watermarks are imperceptible codes printed on packaging that can be read by specialist sorting systems to determine material type and food contact status. [^3]\n\nFost Plus will send sorted bales of film to a sorting centre in Germany where Pellenc ST high-resolution camera technology will read the digital watermarks. [^4]\n\nThe trial will collect flexible packaging from households across Belgium to test invisible digital markings that help identify and sort different plastic materials. [^5]\n\nSorted bales of film collected through Belgium's household recycling system will be sent to Hündgen Entsorgungs' sorting centre in Germany for scanning. [^6]\n\nThe trial aims to provide technical learning to meet the recycled content targets in the upcoming EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. [^7]\n\nThe trial will assess Digimarc watermarks to identify whether packaging previously contained food, enabling targeted sorting streams for recycled material. [^8]",
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      "statement": "PepsiCo, Mondelēz International, and Pladis (owner of McVitie's) are participating in a national trial of digital watermarks for flexible plastic packaging in Belgium.",
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