July 28, 2026
Global plastic recycling is stuck because current sorting tech—mechanical and visible-light cameras—can only hit 75-95% purity, well short of the 99% purity manufacturers need to reuse plastic at scale. The core problem: many plastics look identical (or, in the case of black plastic, invisible) to standard cameras since color and shape don't reveal chemical makeup.
Shortwave infrared (SWIR) imaging fixes this by detecting molecular vibration signatures unique to each polymer type, effectively reading an invisible barcode that also cuts through dirt and grime. Paired with the right Computar ViSWIR specialized lenses to prevent focus shift across wavelengths, SWIR-based sorting can process up to 1,000 kg/hour at over 99.5% accuracy, positioning it as a critical enabler for circular economy goals and compliance with emerging recycling regulations.
