A specialized colorant formulation path designed to address the recycling of black or dark colors in HDPE, PP, PS, ABS, and PET packaging as an alternative to carbon black for improved environmental sustainability, has been developed by Chroma Color,

Chroma Color’s alternative recipes allow the MRF sorting operations to identify and successfully sort the plastic articles according to the APR NIR Sorting Potential of a Whole Plastic Article (Sort-B-01).

Chroma Color’s NIR Sortable Black Technology is based on IR reflecting/transparent components using a proprietary combination of specialty dyes and organic pigments. The Chroma Color path to success reportedly allows for expanded exploration of additional black options, including near-black and other dark color families.

The leading third-party independent lab P.T.I. of Holland, Ohio, conducted all testing and analysis.  A total of five recipes were tested using bottles made by extrusion blow molding—three in HDPE, one in PP, and a control carbon black formula. The NIR results showed the four Chroma Color carbon black free recipes passing with 100% sortation whereas the carbon black control formula failed with 0% sortation. The company’s NIR Sortable Black Technology colorants are inert, heat-stable and non-migratory, FDA compliant and can be used in a variety of plastics.