GreenBlue is pleased to announce Graham Packaging and MCC Recycling as the latest companies to become certified under the Recycled Material Standard (RMS). By achieving certification, both companies will be able to take advantage of the flexibility and assurance of RMS to help advance the use of recycled materials, achieve their own sustainability goals, and support their customers in meeting their goals. Among Graham’s sustainability goals is a target to increase its use of post-consumer recycled materials by incorporating an average of 20% post-consumer recycled content (PCR) across all their manufactured bottles by 2025. The flexibility of the RMS, including the opportunity to take advantage of mass balance allocation, will allow Graham to optimize the use of PCR in its products, while ensuring that all recycled materials are accurately accounted for. This flexibility will be especially important in helping Graham’s customers meet targets for the use of recycled materials in food-grade applications, where current supply is limited. Graham’s RMS certificate covers two of the company’s facilities: its flagship manufacturing facility and Graham Recycling Company, both located in York, Pennsylvania.
“Graham Packaging remains committed to advancing sustainability practices, and our collaboration with RMS and GreenBlue exemplifies our dedication to creating a more circular economy,” said Richa Desai, Vice President of Sustainability at Graham Packaging. “Together, we are actively shaping a future where recycled materials play a pivotal role in minimizing environmental impact and creating a better tomorrow.”
Richa Desai, Vice President of Sustainability, Graham Packaging
Meanwhile, as a recycler of post-consumer polyolefin pallets, MCC Recycling saw an opportunity to generate Attributes of Recycled Content (ARCs) associated with materials reprocessed at its Bristol, PA facility, which was recently upgraded with machine vision and deep learning AI equipment. MCC’s customers have varying needs, which MCC will be able to accommodate by offering either certified 100% PCR materials with a chain of custody claim, or materials sold without a recycled status. For the latter, the sale of ARCs will provide MCC with an additional revenue stream to fund investments in its recycling facility, while giving prospective buyers a scalable opportunity to support quantifiable investments in post-consumer polyethylene and polypropylene recycling.
“The differentiating factor between GreenBlue’s RMS and all other third party certifications is the Standard itself. Specifically, the Plastics Module of the Recycled Material Standard is extremely impressive and something that I knew our industry needed. It was clear that the team at GreenBlue put a tremendous amount of effort into developing the Standard and I immediately knew this was something I wanted to be a part of,” said Michael Mills, Founding Partner at MCC Recycling Services, LLC.
Michael Mills, Founding Partner, MCC Recycling Services, LLC
Both Graham Packaging and MCC Recycling were certified by DNV Business Assurance USA, Inc., which was recently announced as an accredited RMS certification body.