Recoup, one of UK’s leading independent authorities on plastics resource efficiency and recycling, has expanded its in-house laboratory through improvements to its micro plastic analysis capabilities.

According to the company, this marks an important development in its ability to examine plastics at a far more detailed level, strengthening the evidence base available to industry, researchers, and policymakers.

Recoup’s enhanced micro-plastic analysis capability builds on the organization’s established laboratory services, including recyclability assessments, material identification and sorting performance evaluation. The upgraded methods allow for more precise examination of microplastics, offering clearer insight into polymer types, particle size, morphology, and behavior.

The improved approach enables Recoup to detect microplastics previously hidden within complex materials such as soil samples. By digesting organic matter and applying density separation, the laboratory can isolate particles that standard visual analysis may miss. Using an FTIR microscope, Recoup can now accurately identify polymers in particles as small as 200 μm, providing stronger confirmation of material composition and fragmentation behavior. Integrating this capability with existing testing programs allows Recoup to link product design and recyclability outcomes with how materials behave in real-world systems and environmental pathways.

Richard Cham, technical manager at Recoup said, “By enhancing our micro plastic analysis, we are adding greater scientific depth to the services our members and partners already rely on. This new capability helps us uncover microplastics that were previously undetected in environmental samples and enables us to evaluate plastics more fully across their life-cycle so that organizations can take evidence-based action to reduce environmental impact.”