Do not judge a certificate's credibility solely by the appearance of its PDF. Check its code, company, site, scheme, scope and validity date against the official RecyClass list.
Start verification with the official list
RecyClass publishes certificate lists for the relevant schemes. These are the first place to check whether a document matches the current entry.
What should you compare?
- the certificate code;
- the organisation's name;
- the plant location;
- the certification scheme;
- the material or product scope;
- additional modules;
- the validity date;
- the certification body.
Forgery is not the only form of misuse
A genuine certificate can also be used incorrectly. Examples include presenting one site's certificate as covering the whole group, placing a mark beside a product outside the scope, or using a document after its expiry date.
Watch for overly broad claims
Holding Recycling Process Certification does not automatically confirm a package's recyclability or the percentage of recycled content in a customer's product. Every claim should match the actual scope of the scheme.
What should you do if you suspect misuse?
First collect evidence: a copy of the document, a link, a screenshot, the company name and a description of the questionable claim. Then check the official list. If doubts remain, contact the certification body or use the RecyClass procedure for reporting misuse.
Why does this matter?
False or misleading use of certification undermines trust across the value chain. For buyers, it can create a risk of incorrect supplier qualification, unreliable claims and inaccurate material data.
Key point
A genuine certificate should be independently verifiable, and its use must remain consistent with its scope, validity period and communication rules.