Not yet. But we envision a future where standards work together.
The Recycled Materials Standard (RMS) is a Chain of Custody (CoC) standard that requires participants in the supply chain to be audited by a certification body in order to verify claims for recycled content. There are standards currently in use that offer similar auditing protocols and assurances on claims of recycled content. It is the goal of the RMS to recognize those standards that are comparable in rigor and scope, allowing those standards to serve as an alternate means to verify the origin of the material, at the point of the recycler, and have that claim be carried through the RMS CoC.
Maintaining an unbroken, audited chain of custody while materials move through the recycling and production process is essential to ensuring authenticity of the claims that are ultimately reported by brands and made to consumers.
Recognizing that other standards can serve as a verification method for the point at which materials enter the RMS CoC is important for a number of reasons, including:
- Recyclers of different materials may best be served by different standards,
- Eliminating the redundancy of auditing where possible reduces the costs of certification across the industry,
- Recognizing a range of standards enables the supply chain to find a wider range of recyclers to qualify RMS-eligible materials.
At a minimum, the following criteria must sufficiently be met to in order for a standard to be considered for comparison and recognition by the RMS:
- Standards developed using a voluntary consensus process as defined by the OMB and outlined in the FTC Green Guides
- Must require an audit from an accredited certification body that meets RMS criteria
- Requires due diligence on behalf of the recycler to validate the recycled status of input materials
If a standard meets the initial criteria, GreenBlue will consider conducting a complete crosswalk will assistance from an independent, third-party.