Recycled Plastics Traceability Certification

 

The Recycled Plastics Traceability Certification is a new certification scheme that provides proof of the traceability of recycled plastic material from the source, as well as the specific recycled content of each product. Given that it provides transparent information on the source of the recycled material (pre-consumer or post-consumer), it will increase consumer trust in the product’s environmental sustainability.

The advantage over similar certifications is that no minimum recycled content is required in this case because the percentage of recycled material in the product is determined precisely (thus increasing the range of products that can be certified). In addition, it can handle material from both pre-consumer and post-consumer sources.

This certification is complementary to EuCertPlast certification, given that traceability in the recycling process is now included in follow-up until transformation into the finished product, in accordance with the same traceability criteria.

The pilot audits carried out to help optimize the certification scheme were performed by only four auditors across Europe. In Spain, an AIMPLAS expert in recycling and sustainability was responsible for conducting audits at the companies Armando Álvarez and Klöckner Pentaplast.

As the only Spanish auditor to participate in its development,  AIMPLAS researcher Enrique Moliner is the only qualified auditor in Spain for the new certification to guarantee traceability of recycled content launched by Recyclass. According to Mr Moliner, “This certification will make it possible to guarantee the content of recycled plastic in products, as well as the source of the recycled material. It is a highly essential tool to increase customer trust in recycled plastic materials and products. It may also be key with regard to the public authorities, which have already started to require the use of recycled plastic in new products”.

This certification, which was also prepared in collaboration with auditors from Denmark, Belgium and Italy, will be fully operational by the third quarter of the year.