Certifications
ITENE is a recognised RecyClass certification body for accrediting the recycling process of plastic materials, the recycled plastic content, and the recyclability of some polymeric materials. This enables companies to qualify for exemption from the plastic tax which has been levied from January 2023 under Spain’s Waste and Contaminated Soil Law.
ITENE RecyClass certifications to accredit recycling processes, the recycled plastic content, and the recyclability of plastics
1. Do you need to certify your plastics recycling process?
2. ¿Do you need to demonstrate your recycled plastic content?
Certification of your plastic materials recycling process enables you to confirm that the pre-consumer and post-consumer waste processes in your plant meet the requirements set out in the Recycling Process Conformity Assessment Scheme which complies with UNE-EN 15343:2008 and ISO 22095:2020 standards.
ITENE experts audit recyclers to demonstrate their contribution to plastics waste management and transparently communicate the origin of waste.
ITENE audits packaging manufacturers to demonstrate the traceability compliance of recycled plastics in a process and verify the percentage of recycled plastic content in the products to be certified.
This means companies can gain exemption from paying the so-called “plastic tax” envisaged in Spain’s Waste and Contaminated Soil for a Circular Economy Law.
The RecyClass certification looks at the entire chain of recycled plastic material from its origin and is awarded to products which have been manufactured with pre-consumer or post-consumer recycled plastic during the previous 12 months (in some cases products manufactured in the previous three months can also earn provisional certification that is valid for one year).
This is done by blending the recyclate with other materials or substances resulting in a known proportion of recycled plastic content in output products. This means claims such as “This product contains x% recycled plastic” can be used.
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To comply with the legislation mentioned above and demonstrate the percentage of recycled material, RecyClass has developed certification based on the UNE-EN 15343:2008 standard. This tool addresses the following aspects:
- Control of input material (origin, source and type of waste) and the production process
- Characteristics of the recycled plastics (supplemented by other standards)
- Material traceability
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All products containing recycled plastics, such as compounds, semi-finished and finished products, as well as components which are either ready for commercialisation or still under the control of the value chain.
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Spain’s Waste and Contaminated Soil for a Circular Economy Law introduces a tax on non-reusable plastic packaging of 0.45€ per kilo of non-recycled material. Companies may apply for exemption from paying the tax on recycled material content but will need to submit supporting information to the Tax Agency when they do so.
Meanwhile, the draft Royal Decree on Packaging and Packaging Waste establishes that:
- PET packaging must contain at least 25% recycled plastic by 2025.
- Non-compostable plastic packaging other than PET must contain at least 20% recycled plastic by
- Plastic packaging must contain at least 30% recycled plastic by 2030 (specific percentages are set by packaging type).
3. Do you need to demonstrate the recyclability of plastics?
ITENE has been recognized by RecyClass as the world’s first laboratory accredited to demonstrate the practical recyclability of polystyrene (PS) containers, through the “RecyClass Recyclability Evaluation Protocol for PS Containers”, which establishes a harmonized methodology for testing the recyclability of a specific product in a given recycling stream.
In this way, companies manufacturing raw materials or packaging manufacturers can demonstrate through an independent laboratory that the PS used in their packaging solutions can be recycled.
PS resins, PS products containing barrier materials, mineral fillers and additives, PS-free closure systems, non-PS coatings, liners and valves, PS-free labels and sleeves, adhesives and inks can all be accredited under this protocol.
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How can I help you?
César Aliaga
Head of Packaging and Circular Economy Unit
