The pellet loss prevention module focuses on the containment of primarily pre-production plastic waste that potentially ends up in the environment, particularly the waterways in the form of pellets, granules, flakes, powders, dust and offcuts. These materials often have an adverse effect on the wildlife that inadvertently swallow them.

BRCGS has developed this module to provide a framework for companies to develop an awareness of, and a mechanism for improvement in the containment of, plastic pellet loss which is detrimental to the environment. There are a number of industry initiatives, including Operation Clean Sweep (see Appendix 1), and this module is designed to be complementary to these initiatives by providing the means for sites to be externally audited and certificated. The aim of the module is to expand the scope of the audit against the Global Standard for Packaging Materials. The module can also be used with the Global Standard for Consumer Products where pre-production plastic raw materials are manufactured into finished products.

Companies may choose to implement and be audited against the requirements of this module where they have received requests from their customers, or where they wish to assess and improve their management of pellet loss.

This publication sets out the requirements for the auditing of manufacturers and converters of packaging materials to enable them to achieve certification to Additional Module 10 – Pellet Loss Prevention for the Global Standard for Packaging Materials.

Scope

The use of the module is voluntary but subject to the customer mandate. It is applicable to companies that manufacture primarily plastic or polymer-based packaging materials. Such materials are also used in the manufacture of finished consumer products.

Benefits of certification to the module 

The following are some of the benefits to be derived from this additional module:

- Sites can be audited against this module as part of their annual audit.

- Successful audits help to demonstrate the site’s commitment to sustainable practices in the management and control of plastic pellet, granules, flakes, powders, dust and offcuts loss.

- Sites can display a certificate to confirm that they meet the requirements of the module.

- Certification helps to demonstrate a commitment to the many sustainability initiatives within the industry to reduce pellet loss.