Sorting traceability should connect input waste to defined suppliers or supplier groups and link output batches to the relevant incoming streams. Collection systems and waste origin require additional attention where Module Alpha applies.
Why is a clean PET, PE or PP bale at the end of the line not enough?
RecyClass Sorting Process assesses not only the quality of the final Plastic Waste Output, but also its history. The sorting facility should be able to demonstrate the origin of input waste, its connection to suppliers or supplier groups, its movement through storage and processing, and the link between output and the relevant input streams. Under Module Alpha, collection systems and waste origin have additional significance for streams intended for food-contact recycling.
1. The chain starts before the sorting facility's gate
Input waste should be traceable to specific suppliers or defined supplier groups. RecyClass Sorting Process requires contractual or operational arrangements that allow the origin of collected waste to be identified.
Good quality after sorting therefore cannot replace information about where the waste came from.
2. The collection system forms part of origin information
The core Sorting Process scheme considers the source of input waste and its intended downstream use. Module Alpha additionally addresses appropriate separate collection and other conditions in the food-contact chain.
Terms such as municipal waste, separate collection, mixed collection and industrial waste should therefore not be used interchangeably.
3. Receipt of material should create the first audit trail
The date, quantity, supplier and stream identification of a delivery should be retrievable.
Incoming documentation should match the material physically present in storage.
If a delivery is subsequently split or combined with others, the system must retain a logical connection to its history.
4. A storage bay must not break the material's history
Sorting facilities often store large quantities of input waste in bays or designated areas. RecyClass requires a stock management system recording movements and material tonnage.
It is not always necessary to identify an individual bottle or bag, but it must be clear which streams and supplier groups make up the material fed into the sorting process.
5. The process should be documented quantitatively
Sorting centres keep records of operating time, input waste quantities and plastic waste produced. These data are then used in volume reconciliation and production analysis.
The scheme also requires management to use production statistics to assess operational performance.
Examples include production levels, downtime and contamination levels.
6. Input traceability leads back to suppliers
The Audit Scheme requires input waste batches to be traceable to defined supplier groups with appropriate arrangements identifying the origin of the collected waste.
This is a foundation for reliable information passed on to the recycler.
7. Output traceability leads back to the input
Plastic waste should be traceable to input waste from one or more storage bays and, through them, to the relevant supplier groups.
Output is prepared in batches, with production dates and times recorded. The next participant in the chain of custody therefore receives material with an identifiable history.
8. Batch numbers should also appear in commercial documentation
Sorting Process includes batch definition and batch-number traceability. The plastic waste batch number should be linked to the documents transferring the material to the customer.
A batch that exists only in an operator's memory or on a loose note beside a bale does not provide lasting traceability.
9. Module Alpha adds food-contact requirements
RecyClass applies Module Alpha to relevant streams intended for recycling into food-contact applications. Collection systems, origin, segregation and quality assurance then become even more important.
Module Alpha should not, however, be treated as synonymous with Sorting Process: it is an additional scope applicable to specified cases.
10. A common mistake: assessing only the final output
A company presents a very clean bale and assumes this is sufficient. The auditor may also ask about suppliers, collection systems, storage bays, sorting dates, batches, quantities and transfer documents for the recycler.
Sorting Process establishes traceability before recycling; its purpose extends beyond the appearance or cleanliness of the final bale.
FAQ
Does Sorting Process concern bale quality only?
No. Traceability and waste origin are central elements of the scheme.
Must every input batch lead back to one supplier?
The scheme allows defined supplier groups where origin is controlled through appropriate arrangements and records.
Should the output batch number appear on sales documents?
The scheme requires plastic waste deliveries to be linked to an assigned batch number in formal documentation.
Is Module Alpha part of every Sorting Process scope?
No. It applies to the relevant streams associated with subsequent food-contact recycling.
Can waste traders also fall within Sorting Process?
Yes. The scheme also covers eligible waste trading activities within its defined scope.