The two-year REFLEX project co-funded by Innovate UK concluded in autumn 2016, with consortium leader Axion Consulting presenting research results at the K Show in Düsseldorf during October 2016. Partners included Amcor, Dow Chemical Company, Interflex Group, Nestlé UK, SUEZ, TOMRA Sorting, and Unilever.
REFLEX research demonstrated that attractive yields of recycled polyolefin materials could be achieved from post-consumer flexible packaging when collection, sorting, and reprocessing steps were coordinated across the value chain. Near-infrared sorting enhancements, digital watermarking investigations, and improved flexible packaging designs contributed to the findings.
Roger Morton, Axion Consulting director, stated that REFLEX demonstrated how state-of-the-art sorting and preparation technology could increase flexible packaging recycling rates, while novel design and marking techniques could further improve recyclability and process efficiency.
Design-for-recycling guidelines developed during REFLEX targeted packaging designers, technologists, brand owners, retailers, and converters—but required additional European validation before public release, reflecting complexity in evaluating compatibility across diverse multi-material flexible structures used in food and household applications.
The project's completion generated significant industry interest in continuing value-chain collaboration, leading directly to the FIACE mapping study and precursor discussions for what would launch in January 2017 as CEFLEX—a Circular Economy for Flexible Packaging initiative spanning European collection, sorting, and reprocessing infrastructure development.