Activity report 2022

The Plastic Sense Foundation arises in 2017 with the aim of highlighting the good practices of the value chain of the thermoformed PET tray. A sustainable packaging, since it is recyclable, contains recycled material, it has barrier properties and it is light and resistance. The transition stage, started in 2021, of our RETRAY certification scheme has finished in 2022 within the same complex macroeconomic and legal evolutionary context, extending one more year the paralyze of decision-making on sustainability issues for many companies.

Despite the complexity of working in this context, the Foundation has been able to consolidate its RETRAY certification scheme that operates at a European level so Certification Entities accredited under the ISO/IEC 17065 standard by an Accreditation Entity member of EA (European Cooperation for Accreditation) or IAF (International Accreditation Forum) audit processes and products for the certification of traceability in the plastic recycling process and the content of recycled plastic according to the EN 15343 standard..

Thermoformed PET continues to be the most widespread option for all those food products that need exigent conservation conditions, playing an essential role in the fight against food waste and climate change. According to the “PET Market in Europe State of Play 2022”report, 1 017 million tons of thermoformed PET were placed on the EU27+UK market in 2020. That means a 13% increase from 2018 and a potential forecasted figure of 1,150 million tons in 2022, considering a constant growing potential.

The certification scheme RETRAY has not only become the best ally for companies in the sector to respond to the demands of the new regulatory framework, but also it has converted in the key tool for boosting the recycling infrastructure needed in Europe for making all the PET thermoformed packaging recyclable in 2030.

Key words that will act as common thread for ECOSENSE in 2023 will be growing, innovation and collaboration. Growing due to the boosting effect that will cause the incorporation of new Certification Entities and new approved recyclers that will start to operate in our RETRAY scheme, innovation due to the launch by the Foundation of the RETRAY blockchain-based certification Project, and collaboration due to the, already started, networking with RecyClass and Petcore for the former project including the possible use of our RETRAY label.

More details at the Activitiy Report 2022