Determining the Percentage of Recycled Plastic Content in a Plastic Product

BACKGROUND:

As global plastic waste continues to rise, accurately identifying and quantifying recycled content in plastic products is critical for developing a circular economy. At present, there is no method that can accurately determine the percentage of recycled plastic content in a plastic product. Policy regulation based on an imminent international UN treaty will necessitate systems to determine recycled plastic content and there is no other technology on the market able to do this.

TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW:

This University at Buffalo technology presents a device to determine the percentage of recycled plastic content in a plastic product.  Experimental results reveal that increasing recycled content leads to enhanced charge retention, reduced permittivity, and increased dielectric loss, consistent with polymer chain scission and defect-induced polarization. The system is multi-modal, non-destructive and incorporates machine learning to lead to over 97% classification recovery across PET samples.

ADVANTAGES:

• Simple, comprehensive and quantifiable method created using the instrument
• Allows rigorous, internationally coordinated metrology for recycled plastic measurement
• Adaptable to current recycling facilities
• Additional product components for a test bed in production

APPLICATIONS:

• Solution for control and regulatory compliance for plastic products containing recycled polymers
• Research tool for product development in a circular plastics economy 
• Primary and secondary recycling implementation

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SUMMARY:

US Provisional Patent Application 63/864,229 filed on August 14, 2025.

STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT

Laboratory demonstration and test bed in development.

LICENSING STATUS:

Available for licensing or collaboration.

RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS:

Quantification of recycled content in plastics: a review - ScienceDirect
National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution | US EPA