The Alliance to End Plastic Waste and trinamiX partner to help tackle plastic waste challenges in Southeast Asia

trinamiX GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BASF SE, and the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (Alliance) today announced a pilot project to equip project partners in Southeast Asia with technology that helps to improve the sorting and identification of plastic waste in areas where waste management infrastructure is limited.

trinamiX developed the innovative Mobile NIR Spectroscopy Solution, a handheld tool which uses near-infrared light to identify materials. The solution allows users to more accurately sort plastic waste into separate waste streams, which in turn aid them in earning higher prices from plastic waste aggregators and recyclers. Previously, this type of technology was only available in large-scale recycling facilities.

“Waste streams are getting more complex to sort, as various materials can be incorporated into a broad range of different products, such as bottles and other packing types,” says Somchit Nilthanom, Project Manager of Rayong Less-Waste. “trinamiX’s solution is a useful tool to identify different types of plastics used in a variety of applications, enabling improved sorting.”

BASF has sponsored the use of four trinamiX units as part of the pilot. One is already being tested during educational workshops under the Rayong Less-Waste programme in Thailand, which is supported by the Alliance. The remaining units will be tested in India and elsewhere in the region.

Results from the pilot and feedback from users will be used by the trinamiX team to develop a more customized solution to suit local conditions.

“Improving collection and sorting are key components towards developing a circular economy for plastic waste. This includes understanding the type of plastic waste being collected to optimize recycling,” says Jacob Duer, President and CEO of the Alliance. “This solution by trinamiX has the potential to improve access to sorting technology in developing regions. We are honoured to be working with trinamiX and BASF to help this innovation scale up.”

“We see a huge potential in the miniaturization of NIR spectroscopy and in making a powerful technology accessible to people everywhere. By leveraging our novel solution for onsite plastic sorting, we create an impact that pays off for users and the environment alike,” says Dr Ingmar Bruder, Founder and CEO of trinamiX. “With the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, we have found the ideal partner who will put our solution into the hands of those who can truly make a difference.”

“Plastic is the most resource-efficient solution in many applications thanks to its low weight, flexibility, stability, durability and variety of properties. However, the proper disposal and recycling of plastics is a global challenge. At BASF we are doing our part by working on innovative solutions to make sure more plastic will find another life. But we cannot do it on our own, which is why we co-founded The Alliance to End Plastic Waste,” says Carola Richter, President of BASF Asia Pacific and Sponsor of the project.

About the Alliance to End Plastic Waste

The Alliance to End Plastic Waste (Alliance) is a global non-profit organisation with the mission to end plastic waste in the environment. Its focus is implementing projects and investing in innovative solutions to develop or enhance waste management systems. ­­­­As of December 2021, its portfolio comprises over 35 projects across 29 countries worldwide.

Tackling plastic waste is a complex challenge that requires collective action. Since 2019, the Alliance has convened a global network of over 90 industry leaders across the plastics value chain, together with government, civil society, entrepreneurs, and communities to work towards advancing a circular economy for plastic waste.

About trinamiX GmbH

trinamiX GmbH develops cutting‐edge biometric and mobile NIR spectroscopy solutions, which are used in both consumer electronics and industrial designs. The company’s products enable humans and machines to better capture data with the goal of understanding the world around us. This results in improved decision making as well as stronger biometric security. trinamiX, based in Ludwigshafen (Germany), was founded in 2015 as a wholly owned subsidiary of BASF SE. The company employs over 200 people worldwide and holds more than 300 patents and patent applications.