EU recycling initiative RecyClass (Brussels; www.recyclass.eu), developed by Plastics Recyclers Europe (PRE, Brussels; www.plasticsrecyclers.eu), has published two schemes for plastics companies in Spain to certify packaging along the value chain.

The first certification, RecyClass Recycling Process Certification, serves as a verification of the origin of waste for recycled input material used in manufacturing of new articles. The second, the Recycled Plastics Traceability Certification, verifies the use of recycled plastics in production in any operation along the entire plastics value chain.

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RecyClass says these certifications are based on the requirements of EN 15343 and are evaluated according to the European co-operation for Accreditation EA-1/22 A-AB: 2023. 

Since 1 January 2023, companies placing non-recycled, non-reusable plastic packaging onto the Spanish market have had to pay a tax outlined in the Spanish law. If a product contains certified recycled content, a company can apply for the tax exemption. During the transition period, the use of self-declarations was allowed. From January 2024, however, an accredited, third-party certification of recycled content has been made mandatory by the government.