Since legislation was brought in to stop single-use plastics from littering our planet, packaging manufacturers and consumers have become increasingly aware of what can and can't be recycled.

Until recently, black plastic could not enter the plastic recycling chain as the optical scanners used for plastic sorting could not detect the type of plastic utilized in the product as the colour pigmentation did not allow the light to be detected.

New technology is now allowing black plastic to be recycled and re-used.

Certina Packaging is utilizing this new technology to produce carbon black-free packaging. The company uses different particles which can be detected by the scanners, ensuring that black continues to be a colour option available to brands, and enhancing the opportunity for its packaging products to be recycled and incorporated as material for use again in a brand new product. The Certina Packaging Group offers carbon black-free plastic bottles across its product ranges.

Well-known brands such as Henkel and Unilever are at the forefront of the change and are already utilizing carbon black-free plastic packaging across a range of products as packaging becomes increasingly sustainable.

Carbon black-free packaging is just one of the ways in which Certina Packaging is helping to offer green packaging options. The company has adopted a 'Green Line' whereby it offers different packaging options such as refillable packaging, bio-materials and PCR packaging in its quest to help brands be pro-active in their usage of green and sustainable packaging.