Solution: OK Recycled

OK Recycled Certification Scheme

OK Recycled Content Certification Scheme specifies the requirements to calculate the Recycled Content of a product. The Scheme is based on Mass Balance Control and coordinated Traceability of the recycled content in a product or a group of products. OK Recycled is accredited by the Hellenic Accreditation System (E.SY.D.). Through the participation of E.SY.D. in the Multilateral Agreements (MLA) of the European Accreditation (EA) and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF), certificates issued by Bodies accredited by the E.SY.D. have international recognition and acceptance.

Objectives of OK Recycled

OK Recycled addresses the issues raised by EU Directive 2019/904 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment. (e.g. PET bottles shall contain at least 25% recycled plastic by 2025, and beverage bottles shall contain at least 30% recycled plastic by 2030).

In addition, in March 2023 the European Commission published its proposal for the Green Claims Directive. An important pillar of this Directive concerns self-declarations. Self-declarations refer to environmental claims made by companies without verification or certification by third parties, carrying the risk of greenwashing. According to the proposal of the Directive, companies should document their environmental claims as well as verify or certify them by an external body.

The objective of the Scheme is to encourage environmentally friendly use of materials and provide credibility of environmental claims of the companies and contribute in the vision for sustainability.

Applicable Companies

Τhe Certification Scheme is based on Mass Balance Control and on coordinated Traceability of the Recycled material.

The Scheme is applicable for any type of material (e.g. Plastic, Aluminum, Fabrics, paper) and any product which uses Recycled material during the production process (printing paper, colorants, aluminum foils, packaging etc.). Additional material-specific requirements may arise.

More specifically for plastics, OK Recycled Content Certification Scheme is applicable for all types of plastics (PET, HDPE, PVC, LDPE, PP, PS, etc.) through the supply chain.

Calculation of Recycled Content

The recycled content of a product is calculated according to ISO 14021:2016 using the formula:

Benefits of the OK Recycled Certification Scheme

The benefit of OK Recycled, rests on the assurance that the information provided regarding the Recycled Content is credible, objective, and easily identifiable. OK Recycled Content Certification Scheme and the relevant logo, help organizations to:

• Address the issues raised by EU Directive 2019/904
• Meet global regulatory requirements for environmental labelling according to ISO 14021:2016
• Differentiate their product with Certification from an accredited third party
• Raise the profile as an environmentally conscious organization
• Increase the brand value and give confidence to the clients, consumers and other external stakeholders
• Meet consumer demand for greater transparency
• Contribute to the vision of creating a sustainable community