Clarity Environmental launches industry first quality standard for recycling evidence

Packaging producers can now achieve safer, more sustainable and responsible compliance with the packaging regulations, with the launch of a pioneering quality standard for recycling evidence.

Developed by Clarity Environmental, this new standard is an industry first for the packaging waste supply chain, enabling packaging producers to make informed and responsible purchasing decisions for packaging recovery notes, the evidence of recycling needed by producers to comply with the packaging regulations.

Managed by an in-house supply chain intelligence division, Clarity’s Recycling Evidence Quality Standard (CREQS) will carry out over 40 assessment checks on UK reprocessors and exporters. Purchasers of packaging recovery notes (PRNs), such as compliance schemes and direct registrants, will be given an overall assurance score and thorough audit report prior to agreeing the purchase of recycling evidence. This score will allow businesses to confidently purchase safer, quality PRNs from approved suppliers.

Clarity Environmental will work with those reprocessers and exporters who are awarded lower scores, providing support and guidance to enable them to become a trusted partner and a supplier of recycling evidence to its customers.

Clarity Environmental Founder and Managing Director, David Honcoop, said of the launch: “Recycling evidence has been bought blind for far too long, with the only driving factor being price and a total absence of any indicators of quality. But that can now change. Our new recycling evidence quality standard provides a level of reassurance and visibility that has never been seen before, which will help to support producers’ ever demanding CSR requirements.

“The UK government has been clear that embracing a green recovery is now key to achieving economic success. With increasing emphasis on businesses to get control of supply chains, our quality assurance score will support those we work with to grow and thrive in a post-covid recovery, driving a more sustainable industry and allowing our customers to make decisions that put people and planet first.”

On 23 April 2021, the Environment Agency warned that it will be able to cancel packaging recovery notes (PRNs) and packaging (export) recovery notes (PERNs) issued by accredited reprocessers or exporters that are found to be ‘incorrect’ from July 2021.

David Honcoop added that Clarity’s Recycling Evidence Quality Standard has been designed to support these regulatory efforts to ensure PRNs are legitimate. He said: “The PRN system has long been criticised for its lack of transparency, with far too much opportunity for fraudulent activities that could be putting the environment and lives at risk. The absence of any standards has also put buyers in an extremely vulnerable position. We are proud to be leading the efforts to provide a safer and more informed way for businesses to comply with the packaging regulations, providing a whole new level of clarity to the process.”

Trade with Clarity

Clarity has been trading in PRNs since our business was established in 2002. We offer a variety of ways to procure packaging recycling and recovery evidence, helping UK businesses to meet their obligations under the Producer Responsibility (Packaging Waste) Regulations.

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