Plastic Waste Reduction Now Verified by SCS Global Services under the Verra Plastic Standard

SCS Global Services has been approved to perform validation and verification under Verra’s Plastic Waste Reduction Program (“Plastic Program”). This latest approval provides yet another avenue for SCS Global Services to help projects demonstrate verifiable plastic waste reduction and receive crucial financing for their collection and recycling efforts.

The Plastic Program focuses on plastic waste collection, sorting, and production of recycled materials involving manual, mechanical, and chemical processes that typically would not allow for a second life of the material. The program recognizes projects that have improved or scaled up their existing plastic waste collection and recycling efforts or are developing new initiatives and programs, based on demonstration of conformance with the requirements of the Plastic Waste Reduction Standard. 

Waste Collection Credits and Waste Recycling Credits (collectively referred to as Plastic Credits) are verified by a third-party Validation/Verification Body (VVB) such as SCS Global Services and approved by Verra. These credits can then be traded on the Verra Registry as Plastic Credits, equivalent to a specific quantity of plastic pollution removed from the environment or reentering the economy in excess of what would have happened in the absence of the plastic waste reduction project.  Companies seeking to reduce their plastic leakage or support the end-of-life recycling of their packaging can purchase Plastic Credits, thereby providing finance to plastic waste management technology and infrastructure development.

“At a time when an estimated 11 million tonnes of plastic waste end up in the ocean every year, scaling up plastic waste collection and recycling is an urgent priority.,” said Sinclair Vincent, Verra’s Director of Sustainable Development Programs and Markets. “The Plastic Program incentivizes corporate efforts to collect and recycle plastic waste and reduce the amount of virgin plastic used. The Program also ensures improvements in working conditions at facilities and livelihoods of waste pickers, collectors, and sorters.”

“SCS is excited to launch this new program, and now is the perfect time for facilities to get verified under the Plastic Program,” said Christie Pollet-Young, Director of GHG Verification for SCS Global Services. “With more public scrutiny of plastic waste ending up in the environment, landfills and oceans, the excessive use of virgin plastics, and the recent EU ban on single-use plastics, this Plastic Program will be an essential part of the solution. Verra’s standard stands up to the high level of rigor that is required for our world to see tangible results for plastic waste reduction.”

SCS Global Services is one of the world’s most experienced third-party certifiers of recycling efforts, having introduced its Recycled Content Certification Program for consumer and business products in 1989.  It also provides assessment under other internationally recognized standards, including the Zero Waste Certification and Global Recycled Standard. SCS’ award-winning verification team has also been a global leader in providing offset validation, verification, and methodology assessments since 2008. In that time, it has verified more than 295 million tonnes of carbon emission reduction with organizations and individuals around the world.

For more information on the Plastic Program, visit: www.scsglobalservices.com/services/verra-plastic-waste-reduction-standard

About SCS Global Services
SCS Global Services is a global leader in third-party environmental and sustainability verification, certification, auditing, testing, and standards development. Its programs span a cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in climate mitigation, green building, product manufacturing, food and agriculture, forestry, consumer products, and more. Headquartered in Emeryville, California, SCS has representatives and affiliate offices throughout the Americas, Asia/Pacific, Europe, and Africa. Its broad network of auditors are experts in their fields, and the company is a trusted partner to companies, agencies, and advocacy organizations due to its dedication to quality and professionalism. SCS is a chartered Benefit Corporation, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices. For more information, visit www.scsglobalservices.com.

About Verra

Verra is a nonprofit organization that runs the world’s leading carbon crediting program, the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program. Verra is committed to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve livelihoods, and protect natural resources by working with the private and public sectors. We support climate action and sustainable development with standards, tools, and programs that credibly, transparently, and robustly assess environmental and social impacts and enable funding for sustaining and scaling up projects that verifiably deliver these benefits. For more information, visit www.verra.org.