Recycled plastic packaging
Level: Advanced
Requirements for packaging manufactured from recycled plastic increase demand on the market and contribute to more circular flows and reduced plastic waste from fossil-based virgin plastic.
Details
- Type:
- Special contract terms
- ID:
- 11468
- Group:
- Packaging within hospital care and the health care sector
Criterion text
Secondary and tertiary plastic packaging used within the scope of the contract shall consist, on average, of at least 30 percent by weight recycled PCR plastic (Post Consumer Recycled).1 The calculation can be made according to the mass balance principle2 during a defined period of time by means of the packaging supplier's monitoring and reporting.
The following products are covered: [specify which product/products]
Upon request, the supplier shall present the calculation of the proportion of recycled plastic and demonstrate that the recycled raw material consists of PCR plastic.
1PCR plastic, Post Consumer Recycled, is plastic packaging which has been used for its original purpose by a consumer, or in a certain business, and then had been collected for recycling.
2Mass balance can be applied using different methods that measure product substitution and include traceability back to production and raw material when transitioning to recycled and renewable raw materials. Additional information on different mass balance methods.
Verification
When a supplier accepts the tender, it means that the special contract term will be fulfilled by the dates shown in the contract. This can be followed up during the contractual period.
Proposed follow-up
Request information from the supplier showing which packaging layers and/or wrapping used within the scope of the contract consist of an average of at least 30 percent by weight recycled PCR plastic, and for which products.
Check the technical documentation showing that the proportion of recycled plastic comprises an average of at least 30 percent of the packaging that meets the requirement. Check, too, that the recycled plastic is PCR (Post-Consumer Recycled). The documentation shall explain how the proportion of recycled raw materials has been calculated and the period of time the calculation refers to.
The technical documentation used for demonstrating compliance with the special contract term may have a different design from one supplier to another. Some suppliers use a material specification sheet that shows the amount of PCR raw materials included in the product. Other suppliers present invoices that certify transactions for the raw materials purchased for use in the packaging in the form of PCR and virgin materials.
This can be demonstrated, for example, by means of financial transactions for purchased PCR plastics, material specification sheets, Documents of Compliance (DoCs) or Documents of Safety.
1A Document of Safety includes technical documentation according to a list of requirements for various quality parameters agreed between the supplier of the product and the supplier of the recycled raw plastic material used for the packaging/wrapping.
Information about the criterion
This requirement is formulated as a special contract term and does not need to be met during submission of tenders. This gives suppliers an incentive to work with recycled plastic packaging for various products for which requirements can be set regarding the content of recycled plastic for different levels of packaging. Within hospital care it is important with requirements of recycled content for secondary and tertiary packaging layers to be able to reuse high quality plastics in a bigger extent to new packaging or other articles or products.
Environmental goals
Versions history
The version date indicates when the sustainability criterion was created or last updated. Last reviewed dated tells when we last checked that the sustainability criterion still is relevant.
- Current ID
- 11468
- Version date
- 2021-06-09
- Review date
- 2024-05-29