Technology for a circular economy
Remove printing inks.
Prepare plastics for the circular economy.
Removing printing inks from pretreated plastic packaging — as a preparation step for recycling.
The principle
How DE-INK works
The subsequent removal of printing ink is taken into account when the packaging is manufactured.
Coat & print
The plastic is pretreated with a primer, printed and finished with a water-based coating.
Remove the printing ink
During the washing process, printing ink can be detached from appropriately pretreated packaging using hot water.
Process the plastic
The detached residues are filtered out of the wash water. The plastic is prepared for the subsequent recycling steps.
European packaging regulation · PPWR
Recyclability starts with packaging design.
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), Regulation (EU) 2025/40, generally applies from 12 August 2026. It supports the circular economy and aims to make packaging on the EU market recyclable in an economically viable way by 2030.
Rethink packaging
The PPWR connects packaging design with recycling and requirements for recycled plastic content. Manufacturers therefore need to consider the entire packaging life cycle.
Consider the printing
DE-INK addresses the subsequent removal of printing ink. For suitable, pretreated plastic packaging, the process may be a technical component in preparing the material for recycling.
Assess the application
Our approach is to consider the material, printing system and washing process together. Suitability and benefits must be assessed using specific packaging samples and documented test results.
Why DE-INK could become more relevant
As recyclability and recycled content play a greater role in packaging development, ink removal processes may become more relevant. This is our technical assessment. Using DE-INK alone does not demonstrate PPWR compliance: all requirements and supporting evidence for the specific packaging remain relevant.
Discuss your packaging with us →Sources: European Commission — Packaging waste · Regulation (EU) 2025/40 · Updated October 2026.
Working together
Could DE-INK suit your application?
Packaging, printing and recycling need to work together across the value chain.
Packaging manufacturers
Consider subsequent ink removal during packaging development.
Printing companies
Coordinate pretreatment, printing and coating for the application.
Brand owners
Explore approaches to printed packaging using your own samples.
Recyclers
Assess washing and processing using suitable material samples.
Developed in Oldenburg, Germany
One technology.
A clear approach.
DE-INK was developed by a group of inventors in Oldenburg and brought to market together with coating manufacturer Adesiv from Weyhe near Bremen.
The central question is how printing inks can be removed from plastic packaging before recycling.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Does DE-INK automatically make packaging PPWR-compliant?
No. DE-INK may support ink removal before recycling for suitable packaging. Compliance depends on the packaging as a whole, the applicable requirements and the necessary evidence. Technical suitability testing is not a substitute for demonstrating compliance.
Does DE-INK work with every type of packaging?
The process requires suitable pretreatment. Suitability for a particular plastic and printing system must be tested.
How can I try the process?
Request a test flyer by email or describe your application. For postal delivery, please provide your address and a contact person.
Which technical details are relevant?
These include the type of plastic, printing and coating system, washing temperature and duration, and subsequent recycling steps. Specific conditions need to be agreed for the application.
Discover DE-INK
See. Test. Rethink.
Request a test flyer or contact us about your packaging. For postal delivery, include your address and a contact person.
info@de-ink.de