Recycling practices across the globe have seen minimal advancements throughout the years with recent studies revealing less than 6% of plastic bottles are recycled to make new bottles (Magnomer). This distressing statistic is in large part due to the use of shrink sleeves and pressure-sensitive labels, which are difficult to remove from the bottles, limiting their recyclable potential. Recognizing the need for a practical solution, Ravish Majithia, the founder and CEO of Mass.-based company, Magnomer, believes his company has created a solution to eliminating thousands of pounds of plastic from entering our landfills using the power of magnets, more specifically, magnetizable ink!  Capitalizing on existing technology already used by most major recycling facilities, Magnomer uses magnetic ink to allow reclaimers to easily remove labels with magnets, similar to the process they use to avoid ferrous metal contamination in their extruders. And with the ability to create a full-color panel of ink, including a transparent option, Magnomer’s ingenious invention can be applied using standard label printing equipment. In a statement by Majitha, he noted “On the printing and integration side, we used all high-volume commercial equipment to showcase … This can be done at commercial grade without any issues, so the scalability has been proven.” Magnomer's efforts are revolutionary, but their application is simple.  Step 1: Manufacturers print their labels without changing their manufacturing process using Magnomer’s ink. Step 2: Once the plastic bottles have reached the end of their life cycle, they are sent to a recycling facility. Step 3: PET bottles are then ground into small flakes. Step 4: Recycling facilities remove each label using their own in-house magnetic separators.  From the onset of their efforts to increase the recyclable potential of plastic bottles across the globe, Magnomer has been acutely aware of the necessity to integrate their process with the technology available in recycling facilities today. In current manufacturing processes, the majority of shrink sleeve films are created from PETG on PET bottles. This combination of materials, however, sinks in float sink tanks, subsequently causing clumping in the drying process and unwanted bleeding and staining. Despite efforts like polyolefin and crystallization films and de-seaming label technology, previously proposed, recycle-friendly labels have seen minimal adoption, given the need to acquire additional equipment and technology. 

The Next Step For Magnetic Ink

With the completion of phase one in their rearview mirror, Magnomer is shifting its focus to phase two: commercial PET reclaimer trials. The goal of the second phase is to achieve Responsible Innovation Recognition from the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), validating the success of their technology, and paving the way for widespread adoption. While initial successes have been recorded via PET testing, Magnomer is also exploring their technology’s applicability in other situations like HDPE bottle and aluminum can recycling, and sorting multilayer films. 

Be Kind To The Planet With Magnets

Facing the greatest environmental crisis in history, the US generates the most waste of any country on earth at nearly 300 million pounds annually, equating to 4.9 pounds per person each day (EPA). Many experts are now putting their hope in magnets as a key component to reducing our environmental impact and helping to preserve our delicate ecosystem. While scientists have a long way to go before practices like magnetic ink recycling achieve widespread adoption, magnets remain at the forefront of innovation.  If you are looking for more ways you can go green or a few fun experiments to keep your kids occupied on these rainy spring afternoons, our blog will become your new best friend! We provide weekly content on all things magnets that may just inspire you to be part of changing the world with the power of magnets! Plus, with magnetic experts just a click or call away, we are always here to help you achieve your next magnetic feat! Contact us today!