Recyclability Assessment Standards¶
When adding recyclability information to a trade item, you can specify which assessment standard was used to evaluate the product's recyclability. This helps downstream systems, retailers, and consumers understand the methodology and credibility behind your recyclability claims.
Available Standards¶
EN 13430¶
European standard for packaging recyclability assessment. EN 13430 defines requirements for packaging recoverable through material recycling and is widely used across the EU for compliance with the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive.
Best for: Products sold in the European Union.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Region | European Union |
| Issuing body | CEN (European Committee for Standardization) |
| Focus | Packaging material recovery |
ISO 14021¶
International standard for self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling). ISO 14021 provides guidelines for making recyclability and other environmental claims on products without third-party certification.
Best for: Global products making self-declared recyclability claims.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Region | International |
| Issuing body | ISO |
| Focus | Self-declared environmental claims |
How2Recycle¶
A standardized labelling system developed by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) that clearly communicates recycling instructions to consumers. How2Recycle labels include specific guidance on each packaging component.
Best for: Products sold in North America (US and Canada).
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Region | United States, Canada |
| Issuing body | Sustainable Packaging Coalition |
| Focus | Consumer-facing recycling labels |
OPRL¶
On-Pack Recycling Label is a UK-specific labelling scheme that provides simple recycling guidance using "Recycle", "Don't Recycle", and "Recycle at Store" labels. OPRL labels are based on local authority collection infrastructure data.
Best for: Products sold in the United Kingdom.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Region | United Kingdom |
| Issuing body | OPRL Ltd |
| Focus | Consumer recycling guidance based on UK infrastructure |
RecyClass¶
A cross-industry initiative that assesses the recyclability of plastic packaging. RecyClass provides a standardized methodology for evaluating how compatible plastic packaging is with existing European recycling processes.
Best for: Plastic packaging evaluated for European recycling streams.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Region | Europe |
| Issuing body | Plastics Recyclers Europe |
| Focus | Plastic packaging recyclability |
Custom¶
Select Custom when your recyclability assessment follows a proprietary methodology, a national standard not listed above, or a retailer-specific programme. When using Custom, describe the methodology in the Description field so downstream consumers of the data understand how the assessment was performed.
Choosing the Right Standard¶
Use the following guidelines to select the most appropriate standard:
- Check your market: If your product is sold primarily in one region, use the standard recognised there (EN 13430 for EU, OPRL for UK, How2Recycle for North America).
- Check your certification: If your product has been assessed by a specific body, select the matching standard.
- Use ISO 14021 for global products: When your product spans multiple markets and you are making self-declared claims.
- Use RecyClass for plastic packaging: If your assessment specifically evaluated plastic recyclability using the RecyClass methodology.
- Use Custom as a last resort: Only if none of the listed standards apply.
Assessment Fields¶
When recording a recyclability assessment, fill in these related fields:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Assessment standard | The methodology used (select from the list above) |
| Assessment date | When the assessment was performed |
| Assessed by | The organization or laboratory that conducted it |
| Valid until | When the assessment expires and should be renewed |
| Valid regions | ISO country codes where the assessment applies (e.g., US, EU, GB) |
Keep assessments current
Recyclability assessments should be renewed periodically, especially when packaging materials or recycling infrastructure change. Set the Valid until date and monitor expiring assessments from your dashboard.