FDA-Compliant Molecular Marking Positions SMX to Dominate the $824B Global Recycling Market (NASDAQ: SMX)

Rhea-AI Summary

SMX (NASDAQ: SMX) announced integration of its molecular marker technology into rPET in line with FDA Food Contact Substance rules (21 CFR), positioning recycled resin for use in food-grade packaging. The company cites an $824B global plastics market with a $50B recycling segment and describes collaborations and proofs: a Tradepro FDA-compliant integration, ASEAN extrusion deals, and REDWAVE sorting trials in Europe. SMX links markers to a blockchain-backed Plastic Cycle Token (PCT) to monetize recycled content and create a verifiable circular supply chain.

Positive

• FDA-aligned integration of molecular markers into rPET (21 CFR compliance)
• Access to food-grade packaging market via verified recycled resin
• Signed ASEAN extrusion deals to embed markers at scale
• REDWAVE trials showed sorting/verification for difficult plastics
• Blockchain-backed PCT creates tradable credits for recycled content

Negative

• Target recycling segment size is $50B, smaller than the $824B total plastics market

Insights

Circular plastics strategist

SMX reports FDA‑aligned molecular marking in rPET and multiple commercial pilots, which could unlock higher‑value recycled uses.

The company claims successful integration of its molecular marker into rPET in collaboration with Tradepro that it says aligns with FDA Food Contact Substance rules (21 CFR). This outcome, if as described, converts recycled resin into a verifiable material by embedding a persistent digital identity through molecular markers and linking that identity to blockchain credits such as the Plastic Cycle Token (PCT).

Key dependencies and risks include regulatory confirmation of the described FDA alignment, the technical durability of markers across multiple reprocessing loops, and the commercial scalability of the Tradepro, REDWAVE, and ASEAN integrations. Adoption also depends on downstream acceptance by food‑grade converters and brand owners; those stakeholders must validate safety, supply‑chain traceability, and cost parity.

Concrete items to watch: any formal FDA filing or published regulatory opinion referencing 21 CFR use with this marker, third‑party laboratory validations of marker persistence after reuse and reprocessing, and commercial contracts or volume commitments from food‑grade packagers. Expect near‑term signals from pilot validation results and regulatory documentation within months and broader commercial rollouts over the following 1–2 years.

NEW YORK, NY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / October 9, 2025 / The plastics market is enormous - an $824 billion global economy in constant motion, producing everything from packaging to automotive parts. But within that mountain of material lies a $50 billion recycling segment that holds the key to a more sustainable future. The challenge of using that key has always centered around trust. Can recycled content truly meet the same standards as virgin plastic? And can it scale into regulated categories like food packaging, where safety and compliance leave no room for error?

SMX (NASDAQ:SMX) is answering those questions with a resounding "yes," thanks to its molecular marker breakthrough that can revolutionize the way the world values plastic waste. Both physically and financially. In collaboration with Tradepro, SMX's molecular marker technology was successfully integrated into rPET resin in line with FDA regulations for Food Contact Substances (21 CFR). In plain terms: the same recycled resin that brands already depend on can now carry an embedded digital identity, providing proof of origin and authenticity - even in food-grade packaging.

That single outcome may be the inflection point the industry has been waiting for. For decades, recycling has been treated as a second-tier material stream: good for headlines, but rarely good enough for the highest-value applications. By demonstrating that molecular markers can operate within FDA-regulated frameworks, SMX has paved the way for recycled plastics to transition from discount bins into premium markets. Food-grade packaging is one of the largest and most demanding categories in the plastics economy, and it now has a path toward verified circularity.

The Impact Can Be Transformative

The implications extend far beyond a single category. SMX's molecular markers don't just identify recycled content; they create a "digital passport" that can survive multiple loops of collection, processing, and re-manufacturing. And it's proving precisely that.

In the ASEAN region, SMX has already secured deals to integrate markers at the extrusion stage, embedding trust into the supply chain from the start. In Europe, proof-of-concept trials with REDWAVE have shown that even challenging materials like flame-retardant and carbon-black plastics can be sorted and verified. And in the U.S., the Tradepro collaboration shows that even the strictest regulatory environments can accommodate this technology.

For investors, manufacturers, and yes, the planet, the timing couldn't be more on queue. Demand for recycled plastics is set against a backdrop of quotas, ESG mandates, and consumer pressure that can't be ignored. Yet recycling rates remain low, in part because the market has lacked a way to verify and monetize recycled content at scale. That gap is where SMX moves from science mixed with technology to an economic engine.

One Person's Trash is Another's Treasure

By embedding molecular proof and connecting it to blockchain-backed credits such as its Plastic Cycle Token (PCT), SMX is giving plastic waste a measurable, tradable identity. That transforms recycling from a compliance cost into a revenue stream.

The plastics market may be worth $824 billion, but the $50 billion recycling segment is where the real disruption is about to happen. That's because it's no longer just about collecting and melting down waste; it's about creating a system where every pound of recycled plastic carries verified value.

With integration showing that molecular markers can operate within FDA-regulated frameworks, SMX is proving that recycled content doesn't have to live in the margins of the industry. It can meet the highest standards, flow into the most demanding categories, and form the foundation for new financial instruments that reward proof instead of promises. In doing so, SMX isn't simply facilitating the recycling market's best generation; it's rewriting its rules. And those new rules bring one of the oldest adages to life: one person's trash is another's treasure.

About SMX

As global businesses face new and complex challenges relating to carbon neutrality and meeting new governmental and regional regulations and standards, SMX is able to offer players along the value chain access to its marking, tracking, measuring and digital platform technology to transition more successfully to a low-carbon economy.

Forward-Looking Statements

The information in this press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate," "believe," "contemplate," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intends," "may," "will," "might," "plan," "possible," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "would" and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this press release may include, for example: matters relating to the Company's fight against abusive and possibly illegal trading tactics against the Company's stock; successful launch and implementation of SMX's joint projects with manufacturers and other supply chain participants of gold, steel, rubber and other materials; changes in SMX's strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects and plans; SMX's ability to develop and launch new products and services, including its planned Plastic Cycle Token; SMX's ability to successfully and efficiently integrate future expansion plans and opportunities; SMX's ability to grow its business in a cost-effective manner; SMX's product development timeline and estimated research and development costs; the implementation, market acceptance and success of SMX's business model; developments and projections relating to SMX's competitors and industry; and SMX's approach and goals with respect to technology. These forward-looking statements are based on information available as of the date of this press release, and current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and involve a number of judgments, risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing views as of any subsequent date, and no obligation is undertaken to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. As a result of a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, actual results or performance may be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Some factors that could cause actual results to differ include: the ability to maintain the listing of the Company's shares on Nasdaq; changes in applicable laws or regulations; any lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on SMX's business; the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations, and identify and realize additional opportunities; the risk of downturns and the possibility of rapid change in the highly competitive industry in which SMX operates; the risk that SMX and its current and future collaborators are unable to successfully develop and commercialize SMX's products or services, or experience significant delays in doing so; the risk that the Company may never achieve or sustain profitability; the risk that the Company will need to raise additional capital to execute its business plan, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all; the risk that the Company experiences difficulties in managing its growth and expanding operations; the risk that third-party suppliers and manufacturers are not able to fully and timely meet their obligations; the risk that SMX is unable to secure or protect its intellectual property; the possibility that SMX may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; and other risks and uncertainties described in SMX's filings from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

EMAIL: info@securitymattersltd.com

SOURCE: SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

FAQ

What did SMX announce on October 9, 2025 about FDA compliance for rPET?

SMX announced its molecular markers were integrated into rPET in line with FDA Food Contact Substance rules (21 CFR) for potential food-grade use.

How does SMX's molecular marking affect SMX (NASDAQ: SMX) market opportunity?

The technology aims to unlock the $50B recycling segment by enabling verified recycled resin to enter higher-value markets like food packaging.

What commercial progress did SMX report on October 9, 2025?

The company reported ASEAN extrusion deals and European proof-of-concept trials with REDWAVE alongside the Tradepro integration.

What is the Plastic Cycle Token (PCT) mentioned by SMX?

PCT is a blockchain-backed credit tied to molecular markers that gives recycled plastic a verifiable, tradable identity.

Can SMX markers be used for food-grade packaging now?

SMX says markers were integrated into rPET in line with 21 CFR, indicating a path for verified food-contact recycled resin.

Which regions did SMX cite for early deployments as of October 9, 2025?

SMX cited deployments and deals in ASEAN, proof-of-concept trials in Europe, and the Tradepro collaboration in the U.S..