Sorting Process assesses plastic-waste sorting and eligible trading activities. A trader must take legal ownership of sorted waste, and the preceding sorting process must meet the scheme’s certification conditions. Certificate validity depends on the type of assessment. Module Alpha does not constitute food-contact approval.
What does a RecyClass Sorting Process certificate confirm?
A RecyClass Sorting Process certificate covers the preparation and transfer of plastic waste for further processing. Its subjects include waste origin, collection methods, traceability and quality control of the output stream.
The value of this evidence is particularly clear from a recycler's perspective. A buyer needs to know more than the polymer present in a delivery: they also need to understand where the waste originated and how information about it was maintained through earlier operations. The Sorting Process scheme provides a framework for assessing that evidence.
The certificate applies to specified activities and materials. It is not a declaration of recycled content in a later product or confirmation that the sorting facility has carried out the complete recycling process.
Who can apply for the certificate?
The scheme covers facilities performing first-stage or subsequent sorting, together with eligible waste traders. For sorting facilities, the actual operations, operating authorisations and control of material streams are relevant.
A trader must take legal ownership of the sorted waste. Under Audit Scheme v1.0, the preceding sorting process supplying that waste must be certified under Sorting Process before the trading activity can be covered. Merely introducing a seller to a buyer does not establish eligibility.
Before applying, describe your role in one sentence, for example: “We purchase sorted waste on our own account and resell it to a recycler.” Then check whether the commercial and material records support that description. Our article on waste traders in Sorting Process explains this further.
Sorting Process and Recycling Process: where is the boundary?
Identify the actual output of the operation. If you pass on a sorted waste stream, the sorting stage and its controls need assessment. If your activity transforms waste into recycled material, a Recycling Process certificate becomes relevant.
Do not determine eligibility solely from the name of a machine or product. One organisation may sort, trade and carry out further processing. A useful description identifies each stage, the material handover point and responsibility for documentation. See our comparison of Sorting Process and Recycling Process.
How should you prepare information about a waste stream?
A practical starting point is a record of one selected shipment. Identify exactly what the customer receives, which incoming deliveries contributed to the batch and where evidence of origin and quality control can be found. If the material passed through an external warehouse or another trader, include that stage.
- Origin: who supplied the waste, and what information about its origin was provided?
- Receipt: how was the delivery identified and its quantity recorded?
- Operations: what happened to the material, and how were the streams separated?
- Output: how was the shipment linked to earlier records?
- Differences: where were rejects, transfers and inventory balances recorded?
This is a suggested way to organise data, not a complete audit checklist. It helps reveal gaps in a batch history before formal assessment. Also examine an unusual case, such as a delivery rejected on quality grounds or the combination of several batches.
How do you obtain the certificate?
The application should describe your activities, sites and waste streams. The certification body establishes eligibility, scope and assessment arrangements, then checks the documentation and actual operations. Any nonconformities require action and assessment of closure before a positive decision.
The formal process is set out in Quality Management & Procedures. When asking about timing and cost, state how many operating sites are involved and whether the activity consists of sorting, trading or both.
How long is a Sorting Process certificate valid?
The period depends on the type of assessment. The published Audit Scheme v1.0, section 5, provides the following:
- Full-operational: 12 months of records and a certificate valid for two years.
- Limited-operational: at least three months of data where the history is shorter than 12 months; validity of one year.
- Pre-operational: assessment before operations start or where production records are unavailable; validity of three months.
- Monitoring: renewal using 24 months of records; validity of two years.
When checking a certificate, read its type and specific dates. A single validity period should not be applied to every RecyClass scheme or every Sorting Process assessment route.
What does Module Alpha add?
Module Alpha adds requirements for streams intended for recycling into food-contact materials. It addresses controls over earlier operations, waste origin and preparation.
The module document explicitly states that this assessment is not food-contact approval or confirmation of full compliance with Regulation (EU) 2022/1616. Requirements for subsequent recycling and the finished product remain separate matters. See our explanation of Module Alpha.
Frequently asked questions about Sorting Process
Can a trading company apply without its own sorting line?
Yes, if its activities meet the scheme's conditions for traders. It must demonstrate the relevant legal role, the stream's origin and continuity of traceability, among other requirements.
Does a supplier certificate resolve all traceability questions?
No. The purchased and sold batches must be linked to the appropriate evidence. Differences in names, codes or quantities between documents need to be explainable.
Does every sorting facility need Module Alpha?
The applicable module scope depends on the stream's intended use and the scheme's conditions. Tell the certification body what the material is intended for so that the appropriate scope can be established.
What should you send with the first enquiry?
Describe the company's role, waste types, operating addresses, how material is obtained and passed on, and the period covered by available records. This is more useful than a general request for a certificate alone.
Ask about Sorting Process certification
Explore RecyClass Sorting Process and contact Almaland to establish a scope that reflects the actual activities of your sorting facility or trading business.