Plastics useful resource effectivity and recycling charity RECOUP is increasing its service provision by introducing a brand new Life Cycle Evaluation (LCA ) service and its personal state-of-the-art laboratory to assist its recognised RecyClass certification service and amenities.
The addition of LCA to the group’s repertoire will permit it to evaluate the environmental affect of merchandise, items, and providers throughout their life cycle from uncooked materials extraction via to end-of-life.
The group says it believes that the usage of LCA can help with informing evidence-based choices on product improvement and design, assist provide chain and procurement choices, monitor efficiency over time of packaging modifications, enhance total environmental outcomes in step with technique and coverage, and problem misinformation and greenwash.
Katherine Fleet, Head of Sustainability & Circularity commented: “RECOUP has been engaged on constructing LCA functionality to help members and the broader trade to higher inform determination making associated to product design so that choices are based mostly on environmentally sound proof relatively than emotion”.
RECOUP at the moment check members’ plastic packaging samples for sortability at a Supplies Restoration Facility, freed from cost to members as a advantage of membership. The addition of the in-house laboratory has enabled RECOUP to additional improve its testing of plastics samples and materials identification.
Specifically, the RECOUP laboratory makes use of near-infrared (NIR) and Fourier rework infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to determine the constituent parts of a pack and assist decide recyclability.
Richard Cham, Packaging Initiatives Officer feedback: “I’m enthusiastic about our future plans for the laboratory, specifically the introduction of FTIR microscopy which is able to allow the investigation of smaller, laborious to see imperfections and contaminants, and provides RECOUP the flexibility to analyse and determine microplastics from separated samples.”
Alongside the laboratory, RECOUP can also be a UK supplier for RecyClass certification which assesses and evaluates plastic packaging when it comes to its recyclability.
Kate Bedford, Packaging Initiatives Supervisor at RECOUP feedback: “RecyClass assesses the recyclability of plastic packaging, with certification for model homeowners and compatibility for packaging producers. RECOUP work as auditors for RecyClass within the UK; providing each members and non-members the chance to achieve the certification.”
In case you are eager about studying extra about RecyClass certification e-mail recyclass@recoup.org, for LCA e-mail LCA@recoup.org or lab enquires, e-mail enquiry@recoup.org.
