The sixth version of PCX’s Plastic Pollution Reduction Standard (PPRS) was released today, indicating updates such as guidelines on footprint verification, alignment with UN SDGs, as well as an emphasis on plastic credits as supplementary to plastic waste reduction strategies
The Plastic Credit Exchange (PCX) was the first in the world to release a Standard on plastic pollution reduction in March 2020 and continues to lead with the release of the sixth version of the PPRS. PCX commits to constant improvement in its processes and results, factoring in on-the-ground learnings from its plastic credit mechanism and its own work across stakeholders groups including grassroots waste-to-cash campaigns.
This new version of the PPRS incorporates the following major changes:
Alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Emphasis on offsetting as part of a holistic plastic waste management strategy
Update of Guiding Principles to include “Additionality” and establishing baselines
Gender Equality has been emphasized in PCX’s Aling Tindera Waste-to-Cash Program which is championed by women micro-entrepreneurs. Responsible Consumption and Production highlights PCX’s efforts to help consumers identify brands taking responsibility for their plastic footprints through on-pack eco-labeling. Sustainable Cities and Communities, call attention to organizations coming together to pledge for plastic clean-up while striving to reduce their overall footprint through pre-consumer solutions. Life Below Water stresses that the clean-up and diversion of plastic waste preserve the health of our waterways. And lastly, PCX elevates the No Poverty SDG as a priority when building our waste-to-cash network which provides incremental income to communities worst hit by the plastic pollution crisis.
Another highlight of Version 6 is the stance PCX takes on plastic offsetting: It should not be used as an excuse to pollute, but rather, be part of an organization’s overall strategy to reduce plastic waste across all aspects of its operations. In line with this, PCX has released two guidance notes that strengthen producer responsibility: (1) Recycling Calculations and (2) Plastic Credits in Used Tires collections. Both documents are starting points for peer reviews that will serve a more granular compliance to EPR in Version 7 due in late 2022.
Finally, PCX establishes the concept of Additionality. Simply put, PCX targets operations in communities where there is high mismanagement of plastic waste in order to introduce innovative solutions while ensuring that any plastic collected finds its way back into the circular economy. During the accreditation of partners, baseline measurements are defined to ensure that any offset volumes claimed are incremental benefits to the status quo.
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