Issue 05/2022

Certification

Certification Sustainability certification Important part of the solution towards a circular economy and bioeconomy Even if currently only less than 1 % of the entire plastic produced annually are bioplastics[1], one of many necessary actions is to scale up the use of alternative feedstocks in the chemical industry, which has already started to develop in a good direction. Global production capacity of bioplastics will increase from 2.09 million tonnes in 2020 to approximately 7.59 million tonnes in 2026. Hence, the share of bioplastics in global plastic production will bypass the 2 % mark for the first time. Investment activities have shown that biobased feedstocks for plastic production are also an economically appealing opportunity: The amount of investment of USD 350 million globally in the last quarter of 2021, has been exceeded by USD 500 million in the first quarter of 2022 [2]. The interest in this topic has also been fuelled by the increasing concerns of consumers. The results of consumer studies are going in the same direction. One recent global study shows that 85 % of consumers have shifted toward being more sustainable during the past five years. On average, over a third are willing to pay more for sustainability, considering a 25 % premium to be acceptable [3]. Certification as a tool to back up credible claims along fully certified supply chains Third-party voluntary certification schemes can support companies to be compliant with current and upcoming legal requirements. The International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) is an independent multi-stakeholder initiative that contributes to climate and environmental protection, defossilisation, and traceability along supply chains. Today ISCC counts around 7,000 certified entities that are active in different markets such as energy, food, feed, and industrial applications. The certification covers biogenic wastes and residues, recycled carbon-based materials, forestry and agricultural biomass, and nonbiological renewable materials. For a few years, chemical and packaging applications represent the fastest growing sector with annually doubling growth rates. At ISCC detailed traceability requirements ensure that sustainability data related to, e.g. deforestation, social aspects, and GHG emissions is forwarded along the entire supply chain up to the brand owner. Every element in the supply chain that forwards certified material needs to be covered by third-party certification. The standard allows for the three chain of custody options (CoC) mass balance, physical segregation, and controlled blending. Under mass balance certified and non-certified materials are mixed physically but kept separate on a bookkeeping basis on a site-specific level (Figure 2). In the annual audits, special importance is given to the determination of site-specific sustainable yields, conversion factors based on real operational data, and attribution to outgoing products. By applying this method, companies use existing resources and continuously scale up certified feedstocks by building up their supplier networks with the relevant feedstocks. Since the material is physically mixed, it is not possible to make a statement about the physical characteristics of the final product without revealing potentially proprietary information about the production process. The current ISCC logos include the type of raw material and CoC option used, showing customers the sustainability characteristics of the product they hold in their hands. In addition, it is of utmost importance to make clear which part of a product or packaging is certified. The goal is to increase the awareness and understanding of the mass balance approach which is already applied and accepted in other industries, for instance, the renewable energy sector. The future will bring many interesting and important developments from a regulatory perspective, e.g. the European Circular Economy Action Plan or global recycling packaging taxes and due diligence responsibilities. ISCC has Figure 1: ISCC mass balance approach 52 bioplastics MAGAZINE [05/22] Vol. 17

also set up a Technical Committee with regular meetings and contributions from various stakeholders to discuss market developments and further develop clear claims as well as consumer education material. Here, ongoing discussions with regulators, academia, civil society, and the industry build the base for the needed multi-stakeholder collaborative action to identify all possible solutions on the sustainability journey. Only in that way the circular and bioeconomy can be accelerated to make a real impact as we need to move forward as quickly as possible with the many diverse By: Inna Knelsen, Jasmin Brinkmann Senior System Manager (both) ISCC System Germany solutions to reduce our dependency on fossil resources, allow for sustainable land use, protect biodiversity, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. www.iscc-system.org Sources (1) European Bioplastics, 2022: Bioplastics market data (2) CBS News, 2022: Companies invest billions in fully biodegradable bioplastics made from natural materials (3) Simon-Kucher & Partners, 2021: Global Sustainability Study: What Role do Consumers Play in a Sustainable Future? Certification Figure 2: Chain of Custody Options and example logos for mass-balanced products The only conference dealing exclusively with cellulose fibres – Solutions instead of pollution Cellulose fibres are bio-based and biodegradable, even in marine-environments, where their degrading does not cause any microplastic. 300 participants and 30 exhibitors are expected in Cologne to discuss the following topics: CELLULOSE FIBRE INNOVATION OF THE YEAR 2023 I N N O V AT B Y N O V A - I N S T I T U T E I O N A W A R D • Strategies, Policy Framework of Textiles and Market Trends • New Opportunities for Cellulose Fibres in Replacing Plastics • Sustainability and Environmental Impacts • Circular Economy and Recyclability of Fibres • Alternative Feedstocks and Supply Chains • New Technologies for Pulps, Fibres and Yarns • New Technologies and Applications beyond Textiles Call for Innovation Apply for the “Cellulose Fibre Innovation of the Year 2023” Organiser Contact Dr Asta Partanen Program asta.partanen@nova-institut.de Dominik Vogt Conference Manager dominik.vogt@nova-institut.de cellulose-fibres.eu bioplastics MAGAZINE [05/22] Vol. 17 53