The Plastic Waste Reduction Program (Plastic Program) enables the robust impact assessment of new or scaled-up waste collection and recycling projects. Projects registered with Verra’s Plastic Program can issue Plastic Credits for their plastic waste collection and/or recycling activities.
Projects
Projects collecting and/or recycling any plastic (or composite material) may be eligible to issue Plastic Credits for their activities which can be sold to finance the project. A project may be a single instance of an activity operating at a specific location or multiple instances of an activity operating in a specific region.
All Plastic Program projects must complete a rigorous development and assessment process before registering with the Plastic Program and issuing Plastic Credits. The Develop a Project under Verra’s Plastic Program: A Quick Guide (PDF) outlines the project development and registration process.
To explore real-world projects in Verra’s Plastic Program, visit the Verra Registry, which lists registered projects and projects pursuing registration.
The diagram below illustrates an example of how a plastic project may generate Plastic Credits. The end destination of collected plastic waste may vary depending on the project.
Rules and Requirements
The Plastic Program rules define the standards and processes which all projects must follow to be certified. The Plastic Program rules are set out in a suite of documents which include three types of program documents: Requirements, Templates and Forms, and Guidance.
These documents are updated periodically. Please check this page to be sure you are using the latest version of a given document.
Requirements documents set out the core principles and requirements for developing projects and generating Plastic Credits that are real, additional, independently verified and transparently registered. All Plastic Program projects are assessed against these requirements to determine whether they are eligible to register with the Plastic Program and issue Plastic Credits. These documents also describe the steps required to perform different functions of the Plastic Program, including how to apply for project registration.
| Plastic Program Guide, v1.0 | Issued: 10 February 2021 The Plastic Program Guide is the overarching Plastic Program document. It sets out the rules and requirements governing the Plastic Program, including the process for registering projects and issuing Plastic Credits, the methodology approval process, the accreditation requirements for validation/verification bodies, and the functioning of the Verra Registry. |
| Plastic Standard, v1.0 | Issued: 10 February 2021 The Plastic Standard sets out the specific requirements for developing projects and for the validation, monitoring and verification of projects, and the collected and/or recycled plastic waste. For updates on Section 3.5.2, which pertains to project validation deadlines, please see our announcement. |
| Plastic Program Definitions, v1.0 | Issued: 10 February 2021 The Plastic Program Definitions is a reference document that defines all terms used in the Plastic Program documents. |
| Plastic Program Fee Schedule, v1.2 | Issued: 22 October 2021 Issued: 30 March 2023 The Plastic Program Fee Schedule sets out the fees related to the various parts of the Plastic Program. |
| Complaints and Appeals Policy, v1.0 | Issued: 22 January 2019 Verra complaints and appeals policy |
Templates and forms are provided to ensure that users of the Plastic Program have a consistent structure to work from when completing certain documents. These templates are required for the completion of project descriptions, monitoring reports, verification reports and other required documentation.
Plastic Program Project
| Plastic Project Description, v1.0 | Issued: 10 February 2021 Project description template |
| Plastic Project Monitoring Report, v1.0 | Issued: 10 February 2021 Monitoring report template |
| Joint Plastic Project Description & Monitoring Report, v1.0 | Issued: 10 February 2021 Joint project description and monitoring report template |
| Listing Representation (Single Representor), v1.0 | Issued: 4 March 2021 Deed of representation issued in respect of a project with a single project proponent |
| Listing Representation (Multiple Representors), v1.0 | Issued: 4 March 2021 Deed of representation issued in respect of a project with multiple project proponents |
| Registration Representation (Single Representor), v1.0 | Issued: 4 March 2021 Deed of representation issued in respect of a validated project with a single project proponent |
| Registration Representation (Multiple Representors), v1.0 | Issued: 4 March 2021 Deed of representation issued in respect of a validated project with multiple project proponents |
| Issuance Representation (Single Representor), v1.0 | Issued: 4 March 2021 Deed of representation issued in respect of collected and/or recycled plastic waste from a project with a single project proponent |
| Issuance Representation (Multiple Representors), v1.0 | Issued: 4 March 2021 Deed of representation issued in respect of collected and/or recycled plastic waste from projects with multiple project proponents |
| Plastic Program Validation Report, v1.0 | Issued: 10 February 2021 Validation report template |
| Plastic Program Verification Report, v1.0 | Issued: 19 April 2021 Verification report template |
| Joint Plastic Program Validation and Verification Report, v1.0 | Issued: 19 April 2021 Joint validation and verification report template |
| Validation Representation, v1.0 | Issued: 4 March 2021 Deed of representation issued in respect of validation |
| Verification Representation, v1.0 | Issued: 4 March 2021 Deed of representation issued in respect of verification |
| Accession Representation, v1.0 | Issued: 4 March 2021 Deed of representation issued in respect of project proponents joining a project |
| Partial Release Representation, v1.0 | Issued: 4 March 2021 Deed of representation issued in respect of project proponents leaving a project |
VVB
| Notice of Validation/Verification Services (NOVS) form, v1.0 | Issued: 29 August 2022 Notice of Validation/verification Services (NOVS) form |
| VVB Application Form, v1.2 | Issued: 27 July 2022 Validation/verification body application form |
| Verra VVB Agreement Template, v1.2 | Issued: 30 November 2021 VVB agreement template |
Guidance documents are periodically published to illustrate different aspects of Plastic Program rules and processes using examples and other guidance.
| Develop a Project under Verra’s Plastic Program: A Quick Guide (PDF) | Issued: 30 September 2022 Project development guidance document |
Methodologies
Plastic Program methodologies set out detailed procedures for quantifying the plastic waste collected and/or recycled as the result of a project activity and provide guidance to help project developers determine project boundaries, set baselines and assess additionality.
The types of methodologies approved for use by Plastic Program projects include the Plastic Waste Collection Methodology and the Plastic Waste Recycling Methodology which cover all activities currently within the scope of the Plastic Program. Project proponents should review the requirements of each methodology, in conjunction with the Plastic Standard, to understand if their collection or recycling activity is eligible.
Validation and Verification
An independent validation and verification process ensures the integrity of the projects registered in Verra’s Plastic Program. Auditors known as validation/verification bodies (VVBs) assess projects against the Plastic Program rules and the requirements of the applied methodology(ies). VVBs are qualified, independent third parties that are approved by Verra to perform validation and verification services with the Plastic Program.
Plastic Credits
There are two types of Plastic Credits issued under the Plastic Program: Waste Collection Credits (WCCs) and Waste Recycling Credits (WRCs). A Plastic Credit represents one metric tonne of plastic waste that has been collected or recycled, respectively. Plastic Credits are issued based on the volume of plastic collected and recycled above baseline rates (i.e., what would have happened in the absence of the project activity). Each Plastic Credit has a unique serial number associated with it, and Plastic Credits may be labeled with additional certifications as described below.
Plastic Program quality assurance principles ensure all Plastic Credits represent collected and/or recycled plastic waste that is additional, real and measurable, conservatively estimated, independently audited, as well as uniquely numbered and transparently listed.
Plastic Credits are ultimately purchased and retired by an end user to help address their plastic waste footprint. All Plastic Credit issuance and retirement records are publicly available on the Verra Registry.
Note: Verra maintains an impartial position in the market and does not hold, transact or solicit trades of Plastic Credits.
Plastic Credits are not suitable investments for individuals. If you have been approached to purchase Plastic Credits as an investment or if you have any questions, please contact Verra.
Plastic Credits can be labeled with additional certifications if they meet the requirements of participating standards or programs. At this point, the Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard (SD VISta) is the only participating standard. Templates are available for preparing SD VISta project descriptions, monitoring reports, validation reports and verification reports.
To have Plastic Credits properly labeled with additional certifications, project proponents must submit all documents required by the participating standard before requesting Plastic Credit issuance. Note that the verification period covered by the certification must be greater than or equal to the Plastic Program verification period.
Plastic Credits are issued to companies or organizations that are interested in holding and transacting Plastic Credits who hold an account on the Verra Registry. Registry account holders must pass strict “Know-Your-Customer” background checks prior to opening an account. Individuals may not open a registry account, and registry account holders are not authorized to hold Plastic Credits on behalf of individuals. Plastic Credits may only be retired on behalf of individuals by entities which hold an active registry account.
Ownership of Plastic Credits can only be transferred between Verra Registry accounts. Plastic Credits cannot be transferred to other databases or traded as paper certificates. Registry account holders wishing to transact Plastic Credits should perform their own due diligence to assess the risks associated with a given transaction.
FAQs
The FAQs provide answers to the most common questions we receive about the Plastic Program . Please contact us with any further queries you might have.
Verra Registry
The Verra Registry is the cornerstone for the implementation of Verra’s standards and programs. It facilitates the transparent listing of information on registered projects and projects pursuing registration, issued and retired units, and enables the trading of units. It is the central repository for all information and documentation relating to Verra projects and credits. The Verra Registry also ensures the uniqueness of projects and credits in the system.
Governance and Development
The Plastic Waste Reduction Program is managed by Verra with the support of the Plastic Program Advisory Group (PPAG). The PPAG is a multi-stakeholder, cross-sectoral group that helps ensure that the Plastic Program can best meet the needs of the plastic credit market and is well-positioned to enable the delivery of credible plastic waste reduction.
The Plastic Program was developed over two years starting in January 2019 with the support of the Plastic Standard Development Committee (PSDC), a multi-stakeholder body (learn more in the Plastic Waste Reduction Standard Terms of Reference).
Complaints and Appeals Policy
Verra provides a Complaints and Appeals Policy that applies to all standards and programs managed by Verra