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Certified As Recyclable

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About the service

With increasing scrutiny of packaging and the sustainability claims being made about specific pack designs, it’s vital for packaging specifiers and procurers to be able to distinguish fact from greenwash. Many claims are made in marketing materials, but do they really stand up to scrutiny?

The OPRL Certified as Recyclable scheme has been developed exclusively for our members, to provide a robust analysis of the design, materials and special features of packaging items, to give a clear analysis of its recyclability in the UK.

We’re pleased to provide this service for rigid plastic packaging and fibre-based packaging in collaboration with our trusted partners RECOUP and DS Smith. 

How it will work

The certification scheme will assess packaging for recyclability. Sample packaging will be tested to ensure that the design and materials choices and compatibility meet the capacity of UK recycling collections, sorting and recovery infrastructure.

Members can get more information and make an enquiry in our Member Hub here.

Certified as Recyclable logo

For rigid plastic packaging

Testing will determine:

  • If the pack type and material is collected in the UK
  • If the pack size and type and material/materials combination can be sorted and recycled at typical UK Materials Recovery Facilities (MRF) and Plastics Recovery Facilities (PRF)
  • If there is a market for that recycled material

For fibre-based packaging

Testing will determine:

  • Suitability for repulping in UK and European paper mills, evidenced by robust testing under the CEPI V3 and 4Evergreen protocol
  • The correct OPRL label for the pack format, based on local authority collections and testing results.

Interested in using the service?

The Certified as Recyclable scheme is exclusive to OPRL members. Members get exclusive access to our tools and support as well as the use of our widely recognised recycling labels on their packaging.

Interested in membership? Click on the button below to learn more about membership and to register.

Join the Scheme