Till recently, the only mention of using recycled plastic, or the suspicion that it had been used, called into question the performance of the products. Today, CEN's Standardization Committees discuss the percentage of recycled plastics that, not voluntarily, but compulsory, must contain some standardized products, which will be later capable of bearing the AENOR quality certification as a recycled product.
Clearly, the approach has taken a 180 degree turn. Social awareness on environment conservation and sustainability, citizens’ internalization of the necessity of reducing consumption, reusable products (forgetting the single-use products) and fundamentally recycling at the end of the useful life, facilitate the availability of recycled plastics in the market for which suitable applications must be sought.
At the time, the nationals and European’s legislation in relation to plastics, has undoubtedly boosted the evolution of the sector towards more sustainable models. The European Commission of the European Strategy for plastics’ in a circular economy publication or the directive for reducing the impact of certain plastics on the environment (Single Used Plastics, SUP) that includes the must of using a minimum of 25% recycled material in PET beverage bottles from 2025 and 30% in beverage bottles made from other materials from 2030 are good examples.
At the Spanish national level, Royal Decree RD 293/2018 approved on May 18th on reducing the consumption of plastic bags, indicates that reusable 50 microns thick bags must contain at least 50% recycled material. In the latter case, the AENOR certification in accordance with the UNE 53930 standard responds to this regulation.
Shortly, we are moving steadily from a linear economy based on the production, commercialization, use and disposal of the final product, towards a circular economy. It begins with an eco-design of the products, and puts the maximum effort in getting most of that used material to be returned to the chain in the form of recycled material, and in the best possible condition.
The objective of eco-design in accordance with the UNE EN ISO 14006 standard is to minimize the environmental impact throughout the useful life of the products, from their design and later, with the future possibilities of recyclability after their useful life.
There are also other certificates whose objective is to stimulate the consumption of products with less environmental impact during their life cycle. In this context, the Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) are framed. In this field AENOR has the internationally recognized Global EPD program, in which it is verified that the EPD provide reliable, relevant, transparent and comparable environmental information.
In relation to recycled materials, AENOR's offer begins with recyclers and waste managers with the certification of traceability in the plastic recycling process, in accordance with the UNE-EN 15343 Plastics standard. Recycled plastics. Traceability and conformity assessment of the recycling of plastics and recycled content.
The recyclers collect and classify plastic waste from different origins (domestic, from the yellow container, industrial...) as raw material to produce new compounds of recycled plastic material to commercialize and be used again, once transformed, in different applications: construction, agriculture, automobile, etc.
This certification, aimed at the plastic recycler, is based on three relevant aspects:
# Cleaning and separation of the received material (separation of improper ones)
# Classification by type of plastic materials and colour, crushed and washed
# Extrusion and pelletizing (final presentation, bagging and distribution)
3. Characterization of the final product according to the material and according to European standards by product. This information makes it easy for the buyer to decide to accept the material based on their requirements.
Clearly, the approach has taken a 180 degree turn. Social awareness on environment conservation and sustainability, citizens’ internalization of the necessity of reducing consumption, reusable products (forgetting the single-use products) and fundamentally recycling at the end of the useful life, facilitate the availability of recycled plastics in the market for which suitable applications must be sought.
At the time, the nationals and European’s legislation in relation to plastics, has undoubtedly boosted the evolution of the sector towards more sustainable models. The European Commission of the European Strategy for plastics’ in a circular economy publication or the directive for reducing the impact of certain plastics on the environment (Single Used Plastics, SUP) that includes the must of using a minimum of 25% recycled material in PET beverage bottles from 2025 and 30% in beverage bottles made from other materials from 2030 are good examples.
At the Spanish national level, Royal Decree RD 293/2018 approved on May 18th on reducing the consumption of plastic bags, indicates that reusable 50 microns thick bags must contain at least 50% recycled material. In the latter case, the AENOR certification in accordance with the UNE 53930 standard responds to this regulation.
Shortly, we are moving steadily from a linear economy based on the production, commercialization, use and disposal of the final product, towards a circular economy. It begins with an eco-design of the products, and puts the maximum effort in getting most of that used material to be returned to the chain in the form of recycled material, and in the best possible condition.
The objective of eco-design in accordance with the UNE EN ISO 14006 standard is to minimize the environmental impact throughout the useful life of the products, from their design and later, with the future possibilities of recyclability after their useful life.
There are also other certificates whose objective is to stimulate the consumption of products with less environmental impact during their life cycle. In this context, the Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) are framed. In this field AENOR has the internationally recognized Global EPD program, in which it is verified that the EPD provide reliable, relevant, transparent and comparable environmental information.
In relation to recycled materials, AENOR's offer begins with recyclers and waste managers with the certification of traceability in the plastic recycling process, in accordance with the UNE-EN 15343 Plastics standard. Recycled plastics. Traceability and conformity assessment of the recycling of plastics and recycled content.
The recyclers collect and classify plastic waste from different origins (domestic, from the yellow container, industrial...) as raw material to produce new compounds of recycled plastic material to commercialize and be used again, once transformed, in different applications: construction, agriculture, automobile, etc.
This certification, aimed at the plastic recycler, is based on three relevant aspects:
- Traceability of the origin of the plastic waste used as raw material, ensuring that no unwanted or contaminated material enters its process that could compromise the performance of the final material.
- Production control of recycled and processed material, which broadly consists of:
# Cleaning and separation of the received material (separation of improper ones)
# Classification by type of plastic materials and colour, crushed and washed
# Extrusion and pelletizing (final presentation, bagging and distribution)
3. Characterization of the final product according to the material and according to European standards by product. This information makes it easy for the buyer to decide to accept the material based on their requirements.