Clarity Recycling Evidence Quality Standard

Clarity Recycling Evidence Quality Standard (CREQS) is our recycling quality assurance programme.

CREQS has been developed to provide our packaging compliance members, PRN customers and our own business with the reassurance that the Packaging Recovery Notes (PRNs) we supply have been verified, and meet quality and ethical requirements.

Producers are demanding change, with increased visibility, transparency and reassurance that the recycling evidence they buy is real, verified and responsible.

Legislation is also changing, forcing businesses to understand more about their supply chains. Our customers have strict procedures in place for suppliers and these are increasing. We needed to adapt our way of working to ensure we continue to meet these demands and prepare for the imminent changes to our industry.

CREQS is important because it ensures that we safeguard ourselves and our customers from the risks of the P[E]RN market. We are vigilant of cancellations and suspensions and we are attentive to process and document details, and this means we can ensure that we prioritise working with ethical, honest and safe businesses.

We partner with suppliers who share our commitment to follow absolute best practice and so we can meet the needs of producers. By working together we can bring our suppliers closer to our scheme members, for everyone’s benefit. Corporate Social Responsibility is of much greater importance to our members and the increasing scrutiny of waste management means we have to act proactively to continue these relationships.

Our industry is under more scrutiny than ever before and buyers are facing increased risk. Media reports have encouraged the narrative that exports are not acceptable, and evidence of UK waste being burnt at the side of the road in Turkey surfaced in May 2021. By working together, we can help to future proof the industry, reinstate confidence in the system, and ensure our businesses can continue to grow and thrive in the face of these changes.

All businesses have a responsibility to monitor and support their supply chains. Our assurance checks compliment and align with the work of the Environment Agency in its regulatory efforts rather than duplicating.

The EA has sent a clear message that it is stepping up enforcement of all businesses involved in the system and has also stated that it will move to cancel PRNs from companies who are non-compliant. This puts the whole supply chain at risk. We want to work with you to ensure that steps are being taken to reduce this risk.

The EA is working towards enhanced enforcements, but we are taking responsibility for moving towards transparency in our supply chain now.

A CREQS compliance check involves three stages. Stage 1 is an internal check carried out by our CREQS team. Stage 2 involves completing a standard supplier set up form. Stage 3 is an audit carried out by our CREQS team or our recycling specialists. All 3 stages have to be completed before trading as agreed.

Once a supplier has completed all three stages of CREQS, our Procurement team will get in touch and begin to work out the trading relationship that best suits the supplier. After the initial check is done, the CREQS team will get in touch with suppliers yearly to carry out an annual revisit, ensuring our compliance records are all up to date.

If you are interested in getting set up with Clarity, please contact us at info@clarityenv.eu. Once we receive your inquiry, it will be forwarded on to our Procurement team who will be in touch to start the onboarding process with you.