Portugal recycled 34% of the post-consumer and post-industrial plastic packaging it produced in 2020, according to data from its environmental agency (APA). That put it slightly below the EU average of 38% in 2020, placing it number 18 out of 27 member states.
Now, the Portuguese Green Dot System (SPV) has teamed up with companies to provide a plastic packaging recyclability certification service through Recyclass.
RecyClass Recyclability Certification evaluates the compatibility of plastic packaging with the entire waste management chain, which includes collection, sorting, recycling, and ability of the recycled material to be reused in its original application.
The certification ensures that manufacturers and brands provide clear and accurate information about the recyclability of their plastic packaging, promoting greater transparency for consumers. Companies receive a report and certification with a rating on a scale from A to F, or with a quantitative assessment (%) of their performance in terms of recyclability.
SPV has partnered with Logoplaste Innovation Lab and Bureau Veritas Certification to provide the service. Logoplaste will analyse the packaging in its labs, where it can simulate all recycling phases and characterise the material. The certificate is then awarded by Bureau Veritas Certification.
SPV joined the initiative to allow its members to booster compliance with local and European requirements and standards.
"This collaboration comes at a critical time when a new legal framework is expected so that all packaging will be reusable or recyclable in all Member States from 2030, in accordance with the proposed European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR),” said Ana Trigo Morais, CEO of SPV. “Based on models of easy information and total transparency towards citizens, SPV has been making a decisive contribution to meeting the country's recycling targets. We have therefore teamed up with Logoplaste Innovation Lab and Bureau Veritas Certification so that we can benefit our customers who decide to certify their packaging with the RecyClass Certification quality seal,” she concluded.