Traceability levels 1–3 describe the detail of material tracking, not material quality grades. Every level still requires records of suppliers, storage, processing and output. Process-wide recycled content averages cannot automatically support product claims.
Do traceability levels 1, 2 and 3 represent three quality grades of recycled material?
No. RecyClass Recycling Process traceability levels describe how precisely input plastic waste, storage, processing and Recycled Output can be linked. Level 1 provides the most detailed batch identification, Level 2 relies more on controlled storage bays, and Level 3 allows more aggregated tracking to supplier groups and monthly data. These are not material quality grades.
1. Start with waste origin
The Recycling Process Audit Scheme requires identification of waste origin as pre-consumer or post-consumer and of its source, such as household, commercial or industrial. The sector and type of waste may also be documented optionally or in the relevant reports.
The traceability level does not replace this classification. First establish what kind of waste is being handled, then how precisely it can be tracked through the facility.
2. A traceability level describes the detail of tracking
RecyClass defines three levels according to how input plastic waste is controlled in storage and during recycling. The main difference is whether a specific batch, a particular storage bay or a more aggregated supplier group can be identified.
Traceability remains central to certification at every level.
3. Level 1: the greatest batch detail
At Level 1, every batch of input plastic waste is individually identifiable in storage. The process is fed with individual batches or mixtures of batches with a known composition.
Recycled Outputs are prepared in batches and production dates and times are recorded. This provides a detailed connection between input, process and output.
4. Level 2: control through storage bays
At Level 2, material is stored in two or more storage bays. The batches making up each bay are known, although individual batches may no longer be physically distinguishable within it.
The process is fed from one storage bay at a time, with complete emptying documented before input from another bay is introduced. Output can therefore be linked to a specific storage bay and known input batches.
5. Level 3: more aggregated traceability
At Level 3, individual incoming batches may not be separately identifiable within a storage bay. Recycled Outputs are still prepared in batches, but origin may be documented on a monthly-average basis to groups of input plastic waste suppliers.
If pre-consumer and post-consumer streams are mixed, their split must be documented. Missing information about that split has consequences for classification under the scheme.
6. Level 3 still requires traceability
A common misunderstanding is that Level 3 means no tracking. It remains a defined traceability model. The company must still maintain records, supplier data and information about storage, processing, output and recycled content.
The difference is the level of detail used to separate and allocate material.
7. Do not confuse traceability levels with requirement levels
The same Audit Scheme also uses Requirement level 1 and Requirement level 2 to categorise audit requirements. This is a separate concept.
A requirement level describes the applicability of particular audit requirements, whereas traceability levels 1–3 describe the process's material-tracking model.
8. How the level affects recycled content information
In the Recycling Process scheme, calculation per Recycled Output is not mandatory at traceability Level 3. At Levels 1 and 2, the more detailed connection between output and input supports more specific information.
Regardless of level, an average for the whole recycling process should not automatically be used as a product-level recycled content claim.
9. Choosing the appropriate level
The choice should reflect the actual storage layout, technology, material-mixing practices and customer needs. Claiming Level 1 is inappropriate if individual batch identification is lost in large shared storage areas.
Investment in more detailed identification can nevertheless be valuable where customers need precise origin information for a particular Recycled Output.
10. Preparing evidence before the audit
Useful evidence includes a storage-bay map, batch identification rules, supplier data, an example input-to-output trace, production records and sales documentation.
The auditor should be able to follow the system and understand the basis on which the facility declares its traceability level.
FAQ
Is Level 1 a higher quality grade than Level 3?
No. It indicates more detailed traceability, rather than a material quality grade.
At Level 2, must every batch in a storage bay be known?
Yes. The bay's contents should be known and documented, even if individual batches are not physically distinguishable within it.
Does Level 3 allow suppliers to remain unknown?
No. The scheme still requires traceability to known supplier groups and appropriate records.
Are traceability levels and requirement levels the same?
No. They are two distinct sets of concepts within the same Audit Scheme.
Does the traceability level affect the certificate?
Yes. It forms part of the information associated with the Recycling Process scope and affects how traceability and recycled content information are interpreted.