Letter of Compatibility mainly addresses semi-finished packaging; Design for Recycling Certification assesses the technical design of a finished pack; Recyclability Certification also considers collection, sorting and recycling in the target market. None automatically establishes full PPWR compliance.
Which RecyClass route should you choose: Letter of Compatibility, Design for Recycling Certification or Recyclability Certification?
The choice mainly depends on whether the product is semi-finished or a complete pack, whether the assessment needs to cover technical design compatibility alone or also the collection, sorting and recycling infrastructure in a particular market, and how the company intends to communicate the result.
1. Three routes address different needs
The names sound similar, but they do not describe the same document or assessment scope.
Letter of Compatibility generally concerns semi-finished packaging; Design for Recycling Certification assesses a finished design technically; Recyclability Certification evaluates finished packaging with the relevant market conditions in view.
2. Letter of Compatibility: semi-finished packaging
A Letter of Compatibility (LoC) is intended for a semi-finished packaging product whose final configuration may still change through the addition of a label, printing, closure or another element.
The result relates to compatibility at the assessed construction stage. RecyClass encourages subsequent certification of the complete packaging because the final components can alter the outcome.
3. When an LoC is useful
An LoC can be useful for a preform, film or other semi-finished packaging or B2B component manufacturer that does not control the final decoration and assembly.
It should not be presented as full certification of the finished consumer pack.
For an individual component such as a label, pump or sleeve, the component is submitted for LoC assessment mounted on a complete pack. The result concerns the assessed configuration and its relevant packaging stream; it is not universal approval for every possible use of that component.
4. Design for Recycling Certification: the finished design
Design for Recycling Certification concerns finished packaging and assesses its technical compatibility with the relevant sorting and recycling stream.
The reference points are current Design for Recycling Guidelines, the RecyClass methodology and technologies representative of European infrastructure.
5. What technical compatibility means
A DfR assessment primarily asks whether the packaging construction can be correctly sorted and processed using commonly applied technologies.
This does not, by itself, confirm that the pack is actually collected, sorted and recycled at the required scale in every country.
6. Recyclability Certification: the finished pack and its market
Recyclability Certification covers finished packaging and considers the operation of collection, sorting and recycling systems in a particular market, alongside design for recycling.
The certification body therefore needs relevant knowledge of local infrastructure in the geographical area covered by the assessment.
7. The routes support different communication options
LoC mainly supports B2B communication about semi-finished packaging. DfR Certification allows communication of the finished design result under more limited claims and marking rules. The RecyClass FAQ permits DfR B2C communication on channels such as websites or press releases, but not on the pack.
Recyclability Certification provides the broadest basis for B2B and B2C communication, including an appropriate on-pack mark, subject to current RecyClass rules and the certified market scope.
8. None of these routes replaces full PPWR conformity assessment
RecyClass certification can provide valuable technical evidence, but it does not remove the manufacturer’s responsibility to assess all applicable legal obligations.
In particular, a RecyClass certificate should not be presented as an automatic “PPWR certificate”.
9. Establish the design stage before selecting a route
Key questions include whether the product is semi-finished or complete, whether all components are known, whether the design is finalised, which market is targeted and where and how the result will be communicated.
If the configuration will still change, full certification of the finished product may be premature.
10. A three-year validity period requires continued design conformity
RecyClass generally describes a three-year certificate period in this field. The precise expiry date and any special timing conditions follow the applicable procedure. The company cannot freely modify the packaging during that period.
Changes affecting the result should be notified and assessed to confirm whether the existing document still applies.
11. Several equivalent packs can share a scope
If differences between variants leave the result unchanged, an equivalent packaging approach may be possible. This is not automatic: the auditor must confirm the equivalence of each version.
It can be useful for product families varying in size, colour, artwork or commercial name while meeting the equivalence conditions.
12. A simple route selection guide
- Semi-finished packaging: consider a Letter of Compatibility.
- Finished packaging needing technical assessment: consider Design for Recycling Certification.
- Finished packaging for a specified market and broader claims: consider Recyclability Certification.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Letter of Compatibility a certificate for the final pack?
No. It concerns semi-finished packaging and compatibility of the configuration assessed at that stage.
Does Design for Recycling Certification assess local collection systems?
Its main purpose is technical design assessment. Recyclability Certification considers actual collection, sorting and recycling systems in the specified market more fully.
Which route offers the broadest B2C communication options?
Recyclability Certification, in accordance with the current RecyClass claims and marking rules and the certified scope.
Can similar packs be certified together?
Yes, if the auditor confirms their equivalence and the differences do not change the result.