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The core aim of the certification is to help brands give a clear message to their consumers which enables them to identify materials, products and/or packaging as free from conventional fossil fuel-based plastics, and those made with more sustainable and compostable alternatives. This has the added benefit of helping to protect brands from greenwashing accusations and enabling them to appeal to environmentally conscious consumers.

Companies wishing to apply for certification can enquire via the Control Union website.

As part of the relaunch, Control Union, The Plastic Free Certification Benefit Company and Race for Water have collaborated to thoroughly updated the Plastic Free certification standard document. Control Union are a leading international Certification Body with extensive experience in developing certification standards. The Plastic Free Certification are an Italian organisation which had previously focused on certifying Companies and Events but are now going to become the standard owner for this material/packaging/product focused scheme. The Race for Water Foundation are focused on protecting our oceans from plastic pollution and offered their expert advice and critical review during the redevelopment of the standard.

Franco Costantini, MD of Control Union UK, states:

“It is exciting to see this standard re-launching. The previous version was highly successful, and this new iteration will build on that, bringing increased robustness, a greater range of categories and clarity on how to deal with bio-based, compostable plastic alternatives. We believe it is ideally placed to help brands communicate clearly with their consumers that they are taking plastic waste seriously, by making a Plastic Free claim consumers can trust.”

Giuseppe Sarua Cinquegrana, MD of Plastic Free Certification Benefit Company, comments:

“We are thrilled to propose an important certification tool for products without any contamination from inorganic plastics. After the certification of plastic free company management systems and that of plastic free events, we have found in the international market a great need for a solution for products. The certification developed in collaboration with Control Union UK will finally be able to give recognition to alternative solutions without plastic components, both in the source material, both in the content and in the packaging, giving life to a new reliable and crystalline environmental responsibility mark.”

And Camille Rollin, General Director of Race for Water adds:

“Transparency on the composition of materials, packaging and products is a key element to help consumers and companies make enlightened choices regarding their impacts on the environment. This new standard provides the guarantee of the absence of conventional plastic which is made from fossil fuel, which creates alarming level of contamination to human health and the environment during its production, use, and end of life. Hopefully this new standard will motivate our society to go even further to put in place new production and consumption patterns, free from single use products and free from toxic chemicals. As it is in nature, zero waste production of any kind should be our common goal. Any materials, packaging, products should always be designed to remain in the loop harmlessly!”

Certification against the new Plastic Free Certification will be available exclusively through Control Union.