European standards for tracking, verifying and guaranteeing the use of recycled plastic content in packaging could benefit from a recognisable visual logo similar to Red Tractor, writes Steve Dougan, Executive Director of Marketing, Portfolio & Sustainability – Protective EMEA at SEE®.
A recent report from Rabobank highlighted a growing demand for recycled polymers, with suggestions that EU-level regulation will see further rises in the coming years.
Targets set by the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) in the EU require a 5% reduction in plastic waste by 2030, with a goal of recycling 55% of plastic waste by this time.
Hitting PPWR targets will likely see investment in Europe’s recycling infrastructure. According to the European Parliament, half of the plastic collected for recycling is exported to be treated outside of the EU.
Reasons for this include a lack of capacity, technology and financial resources; and these factors will probably change as Europe strives towards a circular economy.
It’s this, along with the rising adoption of recycled polymers, that epitomises the importance of accreditation schemes for recycled plastic.
Stamp of quality and assurance
European certification scheme EN 15343 can help businesses track, verify and guarantee the conformity of recycled plastic content.
It provides a robust framework that enables businesses to certify the level of recycled content in products and packaging and make verified and certified claims to customers and stakeholders.
EN 15343 is a European standard which guides companies to build traceability schemes for recycled materials used in packaging.
Compliance with this standard is certified by an accredited body. Typically, such certifications are represented by a logo, which accelerates awareness and best practice.
The Red Tractor logo, for example, is recognised as a reliable measure of certified standards throughout the UK’s food and drink supply chain.
The on-pack logo helps inform people about traceability, safety, ethical standards and careful farming.
A visual brand identity for EN 15343 could help to more effectively promote the certification scheme across Europe.
The scheme offers multiple benefits, which can prove a challenge to quickly communicate.
There’s also the consideration that remembering and recalling a series of letters and numbers may be less engaging for key stakeholders and consumers.
A logo could overcome these challenges.
Communicating the benefits of EN 15343
Traceability of recycled content is imperative to companies which are keen to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and circularity.
For example, if a business chooses a protective packaging solution made using at least 30% recycled plastic, the material composition must be exactly as claimed. EN 15343 certification ensures the accuracy of such data.
It provides a documented record of the journey of recycled materials from source to their final product. This is really important in the often long and complex plastic value chain.
Plastic recycling can move between countries and there’s the possibility of these journeys changing in the future as PPWR targets start to impact developments in recycling infrastructure.
EN 15343 certification establishes common rules for accountability throughout the plastic value chain.
This can help to mitigate the risk of greenwashing, where claims about sustainability are misrepresented and possibly exaggerated.
Compliance with regulatory requirements for the usage of recycled content in packaging can also be improved.
Essentially, EN 15343 verification can enable a business to show key stakeholders that it’s adhering to high standards of recycling practices.
It can build trust among target audiences and create confidence in the claims made about how much recycled plastic content is utilised in its protective packaging solutions.
A logo representing EN 15343 could help to immediately communicate and substantiate these points in an appealing and recognisable way.
Granted, it takes time to establish the meaning of a logo and to build awareness amongst audiences.
However, there’s a strong possibility that featuring a new logo on packaging drives curiosity.
A visual design is likely to prove much more noticeable than a series of letters and numbers, creating an opportunity for an audience to question the presence of the logo.
A supporting QR code or web address can enable people to quickly find out more, alongside other marketing tactics that reinforce what a logo stands for.
Over time, the Red Tractor logo has become a widely recognised mark of assurance.
The organisation now reports that a third of Britain’s 150,000 farmers are Red Tractor members and that, along with partner schemes, it now assures around 75% of UK agriculture.
A logo on its own hasn’t achieved this but will have helped by driving interest in the scheme.
An EN 15343 logo could help do the same for recycled plastic content in packaging, which would encourage companies to sign up for the certification and promote innovation and best practice.
