Belgium-based quality compliance programme for plastics processors, PolyCert Europe (Brussels; www.polycerteurope.eu) has elected new members for its steering board, including Jan Laperre – from Belgian independent laboratory Centexbel - VKC (Kortrijk; www.centexbel.be) – who will be joining the programme as chairman.

The other members of the board are:

• Edmund Vankann from European Carpet and Rug Association (ECRA; www.ecra.eu)
• Bernard Merkx from European Single-ply Waterproofing Membranes Association (ESWA; www.eswa.be)
• Alexandre Dangis from European Plastics Converters (EuPC; www.plasticsconverters.eu)
• Xavier Lhoir from Valipac (www.valipac.be)
• Frank DeMeyere from Waste Free Oceans (WFO; www.wastefreeoceans.org)

And national associations representing plastics converters:

• Yves Verschueren from essenscia (Brussels; www.essenscia.be)
• Maria Cristina Poggesi from Unionplast (Milan / Italy; https://www.unionplast.it)
• Marc Madec from Polyvia (France; www.polyvia.fr)
• Erik De Ruijter from NRK (The Hague / The Netherlands; www.nrkrecycling.nl)

The purpose of PolyCert Europe is to provide a framework for certification schemes (see Plasteurope.com of 05.10.2020) on the uptake of secondary raw material at the converting stage for products complying with the REACH regulation (see Plasteurope.com of 19.01.2006) and with European or national standards and legislations.

Recently, environmental organisation WFO also joined PolyCert Europe, and is currently working on getting approved under the PolyCert platform, to develop a tracking system for products manufactured using certified ocean-bound plastic materials.