SMX Launches FDA-Compliant Molecular Marking in rPET Plastics, Seeks $50 billion Opportunity

SMX launches partnership to deploy FDA-compliant molecular marking in rPET plastics, targeting a $50 billion opportunity in the global plastics economy. The technology verifies recycled content with the same rigor as virgin plastic, enabling recycled plastics to move into premium categories and create a measurable, tradable identity. The company's molecular marker technology integrates into rPET resin in line with FDA regulations for Food Contact Substances.

SMX (Security Matters) PLC (NASDAQ: SMX) and Tradepro Inc. have announced a strategic partnership to deploy FDA-compliant molecular marking in recycled PET (rPET) plastics, targeting a $50 billion opportunity in the global plastics economy. The collaboration aims to integrate SMX's molecular traceability platform with Tradepro's extensive recycling and distribution network, delivering a new level of material efficiency and supply chain reliability to the U.S. plastics market.

The partnership is designed to bridge the demand gap for recycled content across a wide spectrum of plastics, ensuring U.S. companies can access verifiable recycled materials for packaging, manufacturing, and consumer goods. SMX's molecular markers, embedded at the material level, will provide trusted, auditable data on recycled content percentages and product origin, enabling brand owners, regulators, and auditors to make informed decisions.

Beyond sustainability, the collaboration is positioned as a cost-saving and efficiency driver for American companies. By enabling localized sourcing and transparent verification of recycled materials, Tradepro and SMX are looking to reduce reliance on imported chemicals and materials, while cutting transportation costs tied to overseas and inland supply chains. This is expected to create a stronger, more resilient U.S. plastics ecosystem.

The collaboration has already demonstrated its potential with SMX's molecular marker integrated into Tradepro's rPET resin, meeting FDA regulations for Food Contact Substances (21 CFR). The marker was consistently detected across all process stages, proving its durability and reliability. Using SMX's proprietary reader, marked rPET was identified and traced post-production without altering product performance or appearance, showcasing the technology's non-destructive verification capabilities.

SMX's technology accurately detected varying recycled-content percentages in Tradepro's rPET, providing a robust quality and compliance tool for the supply chain. The system is designed to enable Tradepro to authenticate origin, quantify recycled content in real time, and deliver auditable reports to regulators, auditors, brand owners, and customers.

Steven Schmutter, President of Tradepro Inc., said, "For more than 35 years, Tradepro has supplied recycled plastics to industries worldwide. Partnering with SMX allows us to take the next step-delivering not only high-quality recycled materials but also the verified data that American companies and consumers are asking for. Together, we are expanding recycled content into new applications and building a more efficient, reliable U.S. market for sustainable plastics."

Haggai Alon, CEO & Founder of SMX, added, "This partnership is about more than traceability—it's about efficiency. By embedding molecular identity into recycled plastics and pairing it with a digital certification platform, we're enabling American companies to cut costs, reduce foreign dependency, and meet the expectations of younger generations who want sustainable products. This is how material efficiency becomes a competitive advantage."

By embedding traceability at the molecular level and linking it to a secure blockchain record, SMX and Tradepro are laying the groundwork for a new industry reporting standard, one built on verifiable data rather than self-declaration. This aligns with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's "Sustainable Management of Plastics" program and responds to growing demands for transparent, auditable circularity practices.