Recycled Plastics Move From Cost Burden to Cost Strategy as New Tech Targets Price Volatility

1.  James Guttman wrote this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an employee. 
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1 Disclosure for the quote from the Stewart Thomson article published on March 12, 2026

1. For the quoted article (published on March 12, 2026), SMX has paid Street Smart, an affiliate of Streetwise Reports, US$3,350.
2. Author Certification and Compensation: Stewart Thomson was retained and compensated as an independent contractor by Street Smart for writing this article. Mr. Thomson is a retired Canadian financial advisor who has passed the Canadian Securities Course as well as additional technical analysis courses that were mandated by his former employer and approved by Ontario regulatory bodies. For the past 15 years, he has been editing and writing numerous financial newsletters that have a strong focus on charts.  The recommendations and opinions expressed in this content reflect the personal, independent, and objective views of the author regarding any and all of the companies discussed. No part of the compensation received by the author was, is, or will be directly or indirectly tied to the specific recommendations or views expressed.

2. Ownership and Share Structure Information

The information listed above was updated on the date this article was published and was compiled from information from the company and various other data providers.

SMX (Security Matters) PLC (SMX:NASDAQ) reported that its plastic recycling technology is designed to enable manufacturers to use verified recycled materials as an alternative to virgin plastic, which the company stated is directly linked to oil and gas markets and subject to price volatility. The company stated that its system allows manufacturers to produce goods using recycled inputs without the price instability associated with traditional plastic derived from energy markets.

According to the company, its molecular marking technology embeds an invisible identifier into plastic materials, connecting each batch to a secure digital record. This process enables verification of recycled plastic to ensure it meets performance and reliability standards historically associated with virgin materials. SMX stated that its traceability platform allows plastics to maintain a verifiable identity throughout their lifecycle, supporting sourcing and reuse at scale.

The company also reported that its blockchain-enabled digital platform creates a secure and transparent record of each material’s lifecycle by linking physical materials to digital identities. SMX stated that this system enables real-time verification of origin, composition, and reuse history, while reducing fraud, eliminating verification gaps, and streamlining supply chain transactions.

SMX stated that verified recycled plastic can serve as a stable alternative to virgin materials, as it can be sourced from existing supply streams rather than being tied to fluctuating energy markets. The company reported that this approach can improve supply predictability and reduce raw material costs for manufacturers, while also contributing to more stable pricing for consumers.

"As recycling has always been viewed as a sustainability initiative," said SMX in the news release. "What we are demonstrating is that it is also a cost strategy. When you can trust the quality and origin of recycled materials, you can use them at scale-and when you use them at scale, you lower costs across the system."

The company stated that its platform enables tracking of plastics from origin through reuse, supporting material valuation, procurement decisions, and material flow optimization. SMX reported that its system is designed to support manufacturers across applications including food packaging, apparel, consumer goods, and industrial uses.

According to a March 26 report by DeAnne Toto of Recycling Today, the sector has increasingly focused on full lifecycle management of materials, particularly in energy infrastructure. The report stated that partnerships were being structured to "improve material recovery rates and reduce...processing costs over time," while also creating "a consistent process for handling retired assets at scale." It noted that as early generations of infrastructure reached end of life, operators were facing "increasing pressure to establish reliable, cost-effective recycling solutions and demonstrate responsible materials handling." The report added that centralized recycling arrangements were designed to provide "a predictable volume of materials, allowing for more efficient facility planning and investment in recycling technology," while recovered materials were processed for reuse within domestic supply chains.

Toto further wrote that scaling recycling systems required operational efficiency and cost alignment, citing that such arrangements supported "reducing costs toward landfill parity" and enabled the development of "circular infrastructure" through consistent, high-quality processing systems.

Separately, National Geographic reported on March 26 that plastic recycling remained a significant global challenge, stating that "less than 10 percent of the plastic we use is recycled," with an estimated 100 million tons of plastic in oceans. The publication noted that the industry has been working toward a shift from a linear model to a circular system, describing efforts to "recycle and reuse plastics endlessly in a closed loop system, so they never become waste." It added that new technologies were being developed to transform plastic waste into "virgin-like" materials, addressing longstanding quality limitations in recycled inputs.

The report also highlighted supply-demand imbalances in recycled materials, stating that "recyclers are screaming for more material because they can’t fill their current orders," while infrastructure limitations continued to constrain processing capacity. It noted that only a limited number of plastic types had been economically viable to recycle, and even those presented challenges in producing high-quality outputs suitable for broader applications.

In the solar recycling segment, a March 26 article by Gnana Kumar Swamy described advancements in photovoltaic recycling systems designed to support industrial-scale circularity. The article stated that modern processes were achieving "material recovery rates of up to 98%" through integrated thermo-mechanical and separation technologies. It explained that recycling systems were being designed to recover high-purity materials such as glass, metals, and silicon, enabling reintegration into manufacturing cycles.

Swamy wrote that the sector was increasingly focused on scalability and localization, combining technological expertise with industrial execution to deliver "scalable, commercially viable solutions" and develop infrastructure for "collection, dismantling, and recovery." The article added that integrated systems were enabling "high throughput, recovery rates of up to 98%, and minimal downtime," while supporting the development of "a resilient and self-sustaining" circular manufacturing ecosystem.

Technology Platform and Circular Economy Implementation

SMX described its development of a system based on "augmented materials" that provides detailed information on material provenance, purity, and integrity, enabling transparency across the value chain. The company stated that this system is designed to link different stages of production and reuse, supporting repeated recycling and material utilization.

The company reported that its marking, tracking, measuring, and digital platform technologies are intended to assist businesses in transitioning to a low-carbon economy. SMX stated that its system allows participants across the value chain to access data that supports transparency, efficiency, and compliance with regulatory standards.

SMX also stated that its technology enables identification of the origins and composition of raw materials within finished products and packaging, allowing those materials to re-enter the economy for recycling or reuse. The company reported that this capability supports the creation of a transparent value chain and enables companies to adopt compliance approaches aligned with government regulations and standards. 

According to SMX, its system is designed to support the establishment of industry standards related to carbon neutrality, ethics, and regulatory requirements, while providing measurable and traceable data throughout the lifecycle of materials.

²Ownership and Share Structure

Management and Insiders hold 0.47% of SMX, Institutions hold 0.15%, and Strategic Entities own 0.29%. The rest is reail.

The company has 2.90 million outstanding shares, a market cap of US$23.42 million, and a 52-week range of US$7.67 - US$30,548.