Verra is opening a 30-day public consultation on proposed revisions to the Plastic Waste Mechanical Recycling Methodology, now referred to as the Plastic Waste Recycling Methodology.

This revision to the Plastic Waste Mechanical Recycling Methodology provides overarching requirements for all recycling activities (i.e., mechanical and chemical). The proposed revisions expand the scope of the methodology to include criteria and procedures applicable to chemical (i.e., advanced, tertiary) recycling processes.

In combination with other plastic waste management technologies, chemical recycling is a critical component of building a circular economy for plastics. Chemical recycling technologies enable the recycling and conversion of low-value and hard-to-recycle plastics into feedstocks that can be used to displace virgin polymers and allow for the management of certain types of plastic waste that cannot be recycled using current mechanical recycling technologies. The sale of Plastic Credits provides the necessary finance to scale chemical recycling technologies and promote technological innovations.

This methodology provides criteria and procedures for quantifying the additional plastic waste recycled through eligible project activities such as the installation of new recycling facilities and capacity increases or technological improvements of existing recycling facilities. Stakeholder input helps ensure that the revised methodology upholds robust requirements for plastic waste recycling projects around the world while also addressing the challenges that they face.

The revisions have been made with the following key objectives of the Plastic Program in mind:

  • Promoting a circular economy for plastics
  • Increasing access to and investment in regional recycling infrastructure
  • Incentivizing product design for recyclability

Verra values stakeholder input, and we continually update our methodologies to ensure they are broadly applicable and reference the latest available data and scientific research.

The public comment period for the revised methodology is 10 January to 9 February 2022.

Please use the public consultation comment template to submit your comments to PlasticStandard@verra.org.