DNV becomes an Accredited Certification Body for GreenBlue’s Recycled Material Standard (RMS)

GreenBlue has announced DNV Business Assurance USA, Inc. (DNV) as a certification body accredited to conduct assessments that lead to Recycled Material Standard (RMS) certification.

DNV’s accreditation will enable companies in the plastics supply chain to achieve RMS certification and take advantage of its benefits to advance the use of recycled materials. DNV has established experience with chain of custody certification for plastics and other materials, as well as expertise across wider ESG assurance (including greenhouse gas verification), safety and quality management systems.  

“The success and expansion of the Recycled Material Standard is founded on the trust and reputation of our Certification Bodies. Adding DNV as our core certification partner secures reliability for our participants and consumers,” says Ross Bergman, Director of the RMS. “Efficient and professional audits are our priority. DNV’s experience and professionalism will provide this certainty to our existing and future participants, leaving them to focus on the positive impacts they are making through operations and investments. The synchronized system provided by the RMS with assurance from DNV will contribute to dynamic growth of the recycled material value chain that is so desperately needed.”

The RMS allows certified participants to track recycled materials through the manufacturing process, tracing either physical content or applying mass balance allocation to claims of recycled materials. The RMS also allows certified recyclers to generate Attributes of Recycled Content (ARCs), which are environmental commodities traded similarly to renewable energy credits. ARCs allow for direct investment in the recycling system where it’s needed most – in expanding recycling capacity and capability. DNV’s auditors have the experience and expertise needed to verify that certified companies are implementing the RMS correctly and consistently, ensuring the integrity of claims.

Tom Paraboschi, Director, Supply Chain & Product Assurance, North America at DNV, says, “We’re proud to provide this service to organizations in the plastics supply chain which ultimately supports businesses that want to be looked at as leaders in sustainability within their respective industry and with their customers.”

DNV has already begun to conduct RMS audits, with the first participants certified by DNV being Graham Packaging and MCC Recycling.

Companies interested in seeking certification can learn more here, and can contact Tom Paraboschi at DNV to schedule an audit.

About the Recycled Material Standard 

The Recycled Material Standard (RMS) is a project of GreenBlue, an environmental nonprofit dedicated to the sustainable use of materials in society. The standard establishes requirements necessary to assure the accuracy and transparency of claims with the support of a robust third-party certification system.  The RMS serves as a voluntary, market-based tool to address the challenges that brands, their suppliers and the recycling industry face in trying to incorporate higher amounts of recycled content into packaging or finished products. 

In addition to average content claims, the RMS defines rules for mass balance accounting and introduces a new environmental commodity, Attributes of Recycled Content (ARCs).  The RMS also supports a labeling system, enabling participating brands and suppliers to convey their collective efforts to advance the use of recycled materials through variable and rigourous consumer-facing claims.