Spain’s Law 7/2022, which introduced a tax on non-reusable plastic packaging, came into effect on January 1, 2023. This law allows companies to reduce their tax liability—up to 100%—based on the certified amount of recycled plastic used in their packaging. To qualify, the recycled content must be certified according to the EN 15343 standard by an accredited body.
In response, Spanish companies began requiring their suppliers to obtain EN 15343 certification to meet these regulatory needs and support their sustainability goals.
EN 15343, “Plastics—Recycled Plastics—Traceability and Conformity Assessment of Recycling and Recycled Content,” is a European standard that outlines procedures for tracking recycled plastics and calculating their content in products. This certification ensures transparency and quality in the use of recycled materials.
RETRAY has two aspects: as a process certification (RETRAY Process) and as a product certification (RETRAY product) and, therefore, the same company can obtain more than one certificate, depending on the number of facilities and products it wants to certify.
- The RETRAY Process is given to the manufacturing processes of sheet, sheet + thermoformed body, thermoformed body or packaging.
- The RETRAY Product certification is granted to specific products made of PET sheet, rigid thermoformed bodies (base and/or lid) or packaging manufactured in the facilities that have the previously detailed processes already certified.
For Retray Certification, products must comply the guidelines defined by the Ecosense Foundation besides EN 15343 standard.
USB Certification offers EN 15343 and RETRAY certification services in partnership with Externa.
