The Plastic Pollution Reduction Standard (PPRS) version 7 is a module-based governance document published by the Plastic Credit Exchange in the implementation of credible and verifiable plastic credit and certification system. In PPRS version 7, each module can be updated separately in accordance with the PPRS amendment process provided in Module 6. Users are advised to refer to the latest version controlled document available at the PCX website: www.plasticcreditexchange.com.

REFERENCE DOCUMENTS:

1. Technical Guidelines on Environmentally Sound Co-processing of Hazardous Waste in Cement Kilns released by the UN Environment Programme Basel Convention

LIST OF APPENDICES:

Not Applicable for Module 1.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Accreditation: A process undertaken to ensure compliance of a Project Partner to the PPRS and with local regulations.

Aggregators: An individual or an organization (government or non-government) who collects post-consumer plastic waste and forwards this to processors.

Auditor: A qualified individual or entity, tasked to perform an accreditation assessment or process review of a Project Partner, or a Plastic Footprint Assessment for an entity.

Awarded Plastic Credit: A plastic credit purchased by and assigned to a Brand Partner and registered in the blockchain ledger.

Blockchain:  A secure digital database that tracks the movements, status and transactions of plastic credits. In the spirit of transparency, the blockchain is publicly available.

Brand Partner: An individual, an organization, or a corporation purchasing plastic credits and/or applying for a certification. The PPRS may also refer to individuals or organizations who are undergoing the process of certification as ‘Brand Partner’. The qualifying word would be ‘Certified’.

Certification: A process undertaken to ensure conformity of a Brand Partner to the PPRS, which is needed prior to external party anchored Claims.

Claim: A declaration by a company regarding their Net Zero Plastic Waste status whether through self-declaration or external party certification.

Collection Credit: Refers to additional volumes of plastic waste collected by a Project Partner  and has been directed to a vetted end-of-life destination or energy recovery processing.

Effective Date: Refers to the date when the latest version of the PPRS is in full effect.

Global Plastic Debt: Total amount of plastic that has been produced and remains present in the environment or in circulation which will need to be cleaned up or recovered.

Industry Working Group: Select panel of industry experts invited by PCX for focused group discussions meant to provide consolidated and comprehensive positions regarding the Plastic Pollution Reduction Standard and its implementation.

Landfill Diversion Credit: Refers to specific Collection Credits where plastic waste were collected from or just before it ends up in a mismanaged landfill (supporting informal sector recovery) and re-directs these plastics to an energy recovery processing.

Net Zero Plastic Waste (previously Plastic Neutral): Actualized Commitment by a brand or company when at least 100% of the net plastic footprint associated with a company, brand, or service is reduced to zero through combination of various solutions (including Plastic Offsetting) for a defined period.

Ocean-bound Plastic: Post-consumer plastic collected within a 50-kilometer distance from the nearest coastlines, which if not recovered, is expected to leak into the environment.

Plastic/s: Any of a group of synthetic or natural organic materials, including resins, resinoids, polymers, cellulose derivatives, casein materials, and proteins. Further enumeration is included in the Scope (Module 1).

Plastic Credit: Transactable environmental asset representing a unit of weight, typically 1,000 kilograms or 1 metric ton, of plastic waste from documented and verified plastic offsets and registered in the blockchain ledger. Plastic credits shall be comprised by an end-to-end collection and corresponding destination or use of collected feedstock (e.g. how it was used, attestation that the corresponding processing credits are not sold by the processor). Information on the sourcing and destination of the plastic credit shall be made available per transaction. Plastic credits may refer to Collection Credit, Landfill Diversion Credit or Recycling Credit. Plastic credits are intended to fund the development and improvement of better waste management, environmental rehabilitation, and social justice solutions. Plastic credits shall form part of a company’s plastic reduction and recovery plans and are not intended to replace plastic avoidance and reduction initiatives.

Plastic-Free: State in which an individual, company, brand, product, or service has made conscious and verified efforts to refrain from using plastic.

Plastic-Free Partner: An individual, a group of people, or a corporation applying for or has received a plastic-free certification.

Plastic Footprint: Amount of plastic emitted into the environment as a result of the activities of a business based on a defined scope. This includes plastics emitted through the manufacture, distribution, promotion and sale of its product or service, as well as general and administrative functions. This represents an inventory, in units of mass (kg or metric ton) of plastic waste.

Plastic Footprint Assessment: Process of quantifying the plastic footprint of a given entity. This is performed by a third-party independent auditor, using transparent and consistent methods. This may also be performed by the entity themselves, subject to verification by a third-party independent auditor.

Plastic Insetting: Act of reusing and recycling post-consumer plastic waste by a Brand Partner for their own use, product or packaging.

Plastic Negative: Actualized Commitment of a brand or company where more than 100% of their historical net plastic footprint (at least the recent ten years as applicable) associated with a brand, or service is processed through combination of various solutions (including plastic offsetting)  for a defined period. This certification is retained in the PPRS for brands certified in against the PPRS version 6, but is currently on hold in the current version (PPRS version 7).

Plastic Offsetting: Act of recovering and processing post-consumer plastic waste to compensate for an entity’s plastic footprint for a defined period.

Plastic Reduction Goal: May refer to a process of being Plastic-Free or  Net Zero Plastic Waste (previously Plastic Neutral) Certified as defined in the PPRS.

PPRS Review Board: A select group of experts with the authority to approve amendments into the PPRS.

Post-consumer Plastic: Plastic waste generated by households or commercial facilities as end-users of the material. The definition does not cover manufacturing or industrial waste.

Project Partner: May refer to an Aggregator, a Processor or an entity that covers both collection and processing of post-consumer plastic and has passed the accreditation requirements of the PPRS. The PPRS may also refer to organizations or individuals undergoing the accreditation process as ‘Project Partner’. The qualifying word would be ‘Accredited’.

Processors: Facility that receives, treats, or converts post-consumer plastic waste into other useful forms through material or energy recovery.

Recycling Credit: Refers to plastic specifically used as feedstock or raw materials to a mechanical or chemical recovery process where the plastics are reintroduced as a new plastic product and reintroduced into the economy. These processes may refer to recycling, upcycling or downcycling as long as the Project Partner has passed the PPRS accreditation requirements.

Used Beverage Carton Credits: These refer to the plastic credits assigned to Used Beverage Cartons (UBC).

Used Tire Credits: These refer to the plastic credits assigned to Used Tires.

Verification: Independent evaluation conducted by any qualified third-party to check that the quality of input data, plastic footprint assessment, or that the use of certification badge is in line with the approach and principles of the Plastic Pollution Reduction Standard.

SCOPE

PPRS covers the processes of accreditation of Project Partners, Plastic crediting, and the certification of Brand Partners as Plastic-Free or Net Zero Plastic Waste.

Types of Plastic Credits:

Plastic Credits (Offsetting)  In order to best represent the sources and destination of the post-consumer plastic credits generated and awarded to the Brand Partner. PCX introduces the following categories of plastic credits:

1. Collection Credits. These credits refer to additional volumes of plastic waste collected by a Project Partner and has been directed to a vetted end-of-life destination or energy recovery processing.
2. Landfill Diversion Credits. These are specific Collection Credits where plastic waste were collected from or just before it ends up in a mismanaged landfill (supporting informal sector recovery) and re-directs these plastics to an energy recovery processing.

• Recycling Credits. These credits refer to plastic specifically used as feedstock or raw materials to a mechanical or chemical recovery process where the plastics are reintroduced as a new plastic product and reintroduced into the economy. These processes may refer to recycling, upcycling or downcycling as long as the Project Partner has passed the PPRS accreditation requirements.

Plastic Credits (Avoidance)

Earlier versions of the PPRS covers the offsetting of post-consumer plastic which has already entered circulation. However, avoidance of plastic use is a crucial part in the fight against plastic pollution. It is recognized that many projects are built towards total avoidance of the use of plastic by building infrastructure and systems such as refilling stations. These systems are heavily operations-based, and the continued use of these systems would need support to maintain the quality of services.

Thus, PPRS introduces the world’s first Plastic Avoidance Credit in addition to the existing Plastic Offsetting Credits. Plastic Avoidance Credits support the operations of projects which provide opt-out options of the use of plastics in purchasing product or conduct of services. These Plastic Avoidance Credits are awarded for the equivalent weight of packaging that would have been used if not for the refilling system.

Plastic Avoidance Credits shall also be in units of metric tons. Unlike Plastic Offsetting Credits which are based on actual collected and processed post-consumer plastic, Plastic Avoidance Credits shall be calculated directly from the project’s direct output. For example, the Plastic Avoidance Credit from a Water Refilling Station shall be calculated directly from the total volume of water delivered to the market based on the most conservative plastic packaging material. The said Plastic Avoidance Credit shall be based on the weight of the corresponding packaging likes PET plastic bottles that would otherwise have been used from the delivery of the same volume (“Plastic Avoidance Conversion Factor”). The Plastic Avoidance Conversion Factor shall be identified from the country’s standard packaging specifications and agreed at the Accreditation Stage of the project itself.

Plastic Avoidance Credit shall only be available and valid while the source project is still operational.

Materials:

Plastic offsetting as defined in the PPRS covers a wide range of plastics that go into the waste stream. These include:

1. All materials made of the seven types of plastics: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE or PET), High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE), Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene or Expanded Polystyrene (PS or EPS) and Other Plastics (O).

1. Any of a group of synthetic or natural organic materials, including resins, resinoids, polymers, cellulose derivatives, casein materials, and proteins which include, among others, acrylic or poly methyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyamide (nylon), polycarbonate and polylactic acid.

• Composite materials containing the plastics and material types listed above, such as multilayer paper boards with polyethylene and/or aluminum layers.

Multi-component materials such as tires and UBC (used beverage cartons) can be more specifically referred to as “Used Tires Credit” or “UBC Credits” to further specify that the plastic credits are sourced from these post-consumer materials collected.

Plastic Credit Generating Activities (Accreditation):

Aggregation. This includes in scope all informal waste collection activities, community waste collection from the environment, and government or private-led waste collection activities. PCX provides operational guidance in the conduct of aggregation across industries.

Landfill Destination. Plastic waste directed to properly managed sanitary or engineered landfills may be considered as viable end-of-life destination when the specific facility has passed international standards on design and operations (e.g. International Finance Corporation’s Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines for Waste Management Facilities). Landfills shall be vetted at the accreditation phase to ensure that these are compliant with the requirements of the PPRS, relevant local regulations and international standards , and to ensure that the plastics or other contaminants produced by landfilling operations, will not leak into nature.

Processing. As the optimal recovery option for plastic waste depends on many prevailing circumstances, life-cycle analysis should be applied to decide, depending on the type and composition of the plastic waste and the capabilities and regulations in the respective countries, which options are environmentally more favorable and sustainable. In the case of commingled or composite plastic waste, energy recovery and some feedstock recycling processes will sometimes represent the optimal choice. Plastic waste may be managed utilizing a hierarchical framework comprising life-cycle strategies for prevention and minimization of waste and of its potentially adverse environmental impact as described in ISO 17422. In general, plastic waste processing technologies utilized by PCX partners can be divided into the following classes:

1. Material recovery (mechanical recycling, chemical or feedstock recycling, and biological or organic recycling).
2. Energy recovery in the form of heat, steam, or electricity generation using plastics waste as substitutes for primary fossil fuel resources.

• Other Best Available Technologies (BAT) that have undergone and passed assessments from reputable organizations, which are subject to PCX’s review and qualification under the PPRS.

PPRS provides guidance to ensure that our Project Partners abide by local and international environmental and social requirements for their respective process. For the example of co-processing plants, the PPRS aligns the requirements of the Technical Guidelines on Environmentally Sound Co-processing of Hazardous Waste in Cement Kilns released by the UN Environment Programme Basel Convention. Similar references will be used based on the type of process covering environmental, and social safeguard systems.

PPRS aligns with the definition of the Asian Development Bank^[1] that “incineration” should be distinguished with modern treatment technology that allows for energy or material recovery. The former refers to a process that is done means solely for disposal with no mitigation measures in place while the latter is conducted as a means to recover energy or materials and should have the appropriate technologies to mitigate adverse impact to the environment.

Brand Partners Certification:

PPRS covers the processes of certifying brands or organizations to be Plastic-Free, Net Zero Plastic Waste (formerly Plastic Neutral) or through directly securing Plastic Credits. For Net Zero Plastic Waste (formerly Plastic Neutral) applications, PCX awards certification to a Brand Partner that purchases Plastic Credits equivalent to the Brand Partner’s Plastic Footprint. The Plastic Credits should be of the same type of plastic or a type that is deemed more harmful for the environment.

Company. The scope of the certification will cover all parts of the company’s operations, including the plastic inputs to for the manufacturing of its products and the delivery of its services, logistics and transportation, advertising/ marketing, promotion and sales, as well as general and administrative services.

Brand. The scope of the certification will be limited to the products under a specific brand.

Events. The scope of the certification will cover all activities under a specific event, including mobilization and demobilization activities.

[1] Asian Development Bank’s Waste-to-Energy in the Face of Circular Economy Best Practice Handbook published December 2020 https://www.adb.org/publications/waste-to-energy-age-circular-economy-handbook

The Plastic Pollution Reduction Standard (PPRS) version 7 is a module-based governance document published by the Plastic Credit Exchange in the implementation of credible and verifiable plastic credit and certification system. In PPRS version 7, each module can be updated separately in accordance with the PPRS amendment process provided in Module 6. Users are advised to refer to the latest version controlled document available at the PCX website: www.plasticcreditexchange.com.

REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

Not Applicable for Module 2.

LIST OF APPENDICES

Not Applicable for Module 2.

OBJECTIVES AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES

PCX aspires to address the Global Plastic Debt which continues to accumulate over eighty years, through plastic credits (avoidance and offsetting) and working with Brand Partners on their Plastic Reduction and Responsibility Plan. We encourage the elimination of all unnecessary plastics and support the responsible production and circularity of any plastic that remains so that it doesn’t wind up in nature.

The objective of the Plastic Pollution Reduction Standard (PPRS) is to provide a framework for the implementation of a credible and verifiable plastic offsetting program. PCX, through its network of partners, provides a secure and transparent system of physically collecting, transporting, and processing plastic waste to prevent leakage into the environment. Through a fully audited process, PCX translates the weight of Avoided Plastic use or Plastic Offsets to the equivalent Plastic Credits, which will then be registered in the blockchain ledger. Any individual or organization may purchase Plastic Credits as a means to take responsibility for their plastic waste and achieve their sustainability goals on plastic pollution reduction.

PCX strongly emphasizes that the concept of Plastic (Offsetting) Credits is not an excuse for organizations to abandon the reduction and avoidance of plastics being used in their products and supply chain. PPRS is rooted in plastic pollution reduction by stopping the flow of plastics in nature, while better means of packaging and recycling are being developed. Plastic Credits may form part of the organization’s comprehensive strategy or solution set but, Plastic Credits should ideally diminish over time as more sustainable materials and technologies emerge.

Plastic Reduction Goals are sustainability-driven commitments and actions taken by an individual or organization, voluntarily or mandated, to compensate for the environmental impact of its Plastic Footprint. PPRS is guided by the following principles:

1. Conservativeness – Organizations claiming a status of Net Zero Plastic Waste agree to exert their best effort to be as accurate as possible. In cases where this is not feasible, organizations agree to undertake the more conservative approach and to disclose the methodologies that underlie their claim.

1. Integrity and Consistency– PCX operates in accordance with third-party verification to ensure that claims of Net Zero Plastic Waste status are applied consistently and appropriately across relevant and intended users of the PPRS. Third party verification is also required to ensure that Project partners are consistently accredited and all project information and data are accurate and truthful.

1. Transparency and Traceability – PCX shall disclose relevant and sufficient information of stakeholder interest to the public, making every effort to ensure easy, prompt, and practical access to the appropriate information. The registry is protected by a blockchain ledger – a robust and tamper-proof way to manage every Plastic Credit processed. Once the Plastic Credit is registered on the blockchain ledger, it is considered retired and can no longer be reassigned. All certifications and accreditations awarded by PCX shall have sufficient documentation and evidence.

1. Additionality– PCX targets operations in communities where there is high mismanagement of plastic waste in order to introduce innovative solutions ensuring that any plastic collected finds its way back into the circular economy. During the accreditation of partners, PCX establishes baseline measurements to ensure that any offset volumes claimed are incremental benefits to the status quo.

In January 2021, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) published its position on Plastic Crediting and Plastic Neutrality and defines additionality as: ‘emissions-reducing activity for which the credit is given would not have occurred in the absence of the crediting mechanism but instead clearly occurred in response to (and after the development) of a crediting mechanism.’[1]

PCX recognizes the position of WWF and extends ground-based or locality-based definition on additionality where plastics can be assured to be removed or fully diverted away from the environment and introduced into the circular economy where the infrastructure exists (refer to PPRS Module 1 Scope for Approved Processing options). This refers to additionality into the diversion of collected (but mismanaged) plastic and being introduced into a circular economy path ensuring that these plastics would no longer be leaking into the environment.

To recap, PCX refers to two additional categories in the classification of additionality that covers:

1. High mismanagement of waste (collection is present but cannot be assured of not leaking into the environment) – refers to Collection Credits
2. Introduction of plastic back into the circular economy (where plastics can be made sure to be utilized into a secondary process where the infrastructure is available)

1. Continuous Improvement– PCX is committed to regularly review and refine the PPRS for the benefit of the environment and the stakeholders. PCX benchmarks the processes and results to make sure that operations are harmonized and compliant with international industry best practices. PCX is open to feedback from the users of the PPRS and relevant inputs will be reviewed, addressed and incorporated into the standard, following the PCX amendment process.

PPRS actively aligns our activities and results with international standards such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). This is illustrated as follows:

Further, the PPRS is a means to align with international and industry developments such as the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies and adapts to the more stringent requirements specific to the existing regulations in the Partner’s respective country. PCX actively works with international organizations, aligns with leading certifications, and with established Industry Working Groups to consolidate language, definitions and positions to drive credibility and adoption of the Plastic Pollution Reduction Standards.

SAFEGUARD SYSTEMS

Environmental Impact and Pollution Prevention. The Project Partners’ compliance to the PPRS provides assurances that in the process of reducing the plastic waste, there shall be no detrimental impacts to other aspects of the environment. This includes pollution prevention and abatement, biodiversity and marine conservation, management of natural resources and the welfare of the people. Potential impacts and risk assessment shall be conducted by the Project Partner in all aspects of its operations, and mitigation measures shall be put in place, when necessary.

Occupational Health and Safety. The Project Partner shall consider the health and safety of the people and properties involved in all stages of its operations. The risks inherent to the activities shall be identified, assessed, and addressed prior to the conduct of the activities from aggregation up to processing. Necessary measures shall be implemented by the Project Partner to avoid accidents, injuries and diseases arising from or associated to the activities, including emergency response and preparedness.

Gender Equality and Social Inclusion. Operations shall not implement any specific activities that constitute any form of discrimination or harassment. The Project Partner shall observe and promote best practices on gender equality and inclusivity.

Feedback and Grievance Mechanism. PCX recognizes the important role of the stakeholders in the PPRS. Consultations and feedback mechanisms shall be in place and will be available throughout the implementation of the activities. PCX incorporates the views of all the stakeholders in the conduct of the activities and the disclosure of Plastic Credits in the blockchain ledger. Stakeholders and the public may submit their grievances, concerns on the PPRS implementation through email to contact@plasticcreditexchange.com. Grievances shall be duly investigated and appropriately addressed by PCX. Results of investigation and/or action plans will be communicated to the concerned party.

Prohibited Materials and Activities. In the conduct of plastic waste collection and processing, the Project Partners shall not engage the following:

1. Activities involving forms of forced or child labor.
2. Activities deemed illegal under international conventions and host country regulations; and

Activities involving toxic and hazardous materials including weapons, munitions, and radioactive materials.

[1] WWF Position: Plastic Crediting and Plastic Neutrality published January 2021. https://www.worldwildlife.org/publications/wwf-position-plastic-crediting-and-plastic-neutrality

The Plastic Pollution Reduction Standard (PPRS) version 7 is a module-based governance document published by the Plastic Credit Exchange in the implementation of credible and verifiable plastic credit and certification system. In PPRS version 7, each module can be updated separately in accordance with the PPRS amendment process provided in Module 6. Users are advised to refer to the latest version controlled document available at the PCX website: www.plasticcreditexchange.com.

REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

Not applicable for Module 3

LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix 3.1. Project Partner Accreditation Checklist, PPRS-OP-002-F1

Appendix 3.2. Accreditation Certificate Template, PPRS-OP-002-T1

PROJECT PARTNER ACCREDITATION CRITERIA AND REQUIREMENTS

PCX provides a more robust and detailed criteria and requirements that would further strengthen the plastic credit through offsetting with vetted partners. These requirements provide a more comprehensive system where the Project Partners are able to extensively describe their processes, their environmental impact along with their co-benefits to the communities they operate in. The Project Partners, reviewed through a third party independent auditor, shall demonstrate their compliance through documentations and data from their own processes.

Project Partners shall be eligible plastic credit generators once they satisfy (through systems and supporting documentation) the following criteria:

CRITERIA 1.  Sound Environmental Process

It is important that plastic credits divert away plastic waste from nature and are reintroduced into a properly managed facility or process where these plastics are given a secondary purpose through applicable material or energy recovery processes. Processes using diverted post-consumer plastic should not cause adverse impacts on the environment (e.g. water, air, other unmitigated environmental risks and impacts).

REQUIREMENT 1.1. The Project Partner shall provide documented information to demonstrate their process and technology. The following or similar evidences may be presented:

1. Scope of the Project
2. Process Flow Diagram
3. Process Description
4. Calibration certificates of weighing equipment and other process-critical monitoring equipment

REQUIREMENT 1.2. The Project Partner shall provide documented information to show their compliance to their National/ Local Environmental Regulations. The following permits/ licenses/ certificates/ clearances or the like, may be provided, as applicable:

1. Environmental Compliance Certificate
2. Permit to Operate air pollution sources and control Facilities
3. Permit to discharge treated wastewater
4. Permit to extract/ use water sources
5. Air emissions tracking and analysis
6. Wastewater discharge quality analysis
7. Other Certifications (e.g. ISO 9001 or ISO 140001), if available

Information collected from chemical analyses and their intended use shall be recently collected (within the past year) and shall be confirmed to be within acceptable levels based on local (environment regulators) and international guidance such as UNEP or WHO.

REQUIREMENT 1.3. The Project Partner shall provide documented information to show the assessment of environmental risks and impacts and the applicable preventive/ mitigation measures. The following or similar evidences may be presented:

1. Environmental Risk/ Impact Assessment
2. Solid waste or byproduct waste management plan
3. Environmental management plans/ procedures

CRITERIA 2. Establishing Additionality

Aside from understanding the environmental impacts of the processes, the Project Partners shall establish additionality on their respective processes based on the type of plastic credits that the Project would be able to provide.

Project Partners shall establish additionality based on the following matrix:

REQUIREMENT 2.1. Additionality in Sourcing:

The Project Partner shall present the supply source of their post-consumer plastic and demonstrate that these plastics would have been mismanaged or could have potentially leaked to the environment, if not for the partner’s intervention. This can be achieved by presenting a baseline analysis showing that there has been no collection in the respective sources or that collection is being done but is unlikely to be reintroduced to circular economy (secondary process). On the other hand, Project Partners who need the support to sustain their operations or expand their capacity may also be considered additional as to ensure that these volumes are protected away from any potential leakage. Plastic credits will only be valid if the collection data satisfies these requirements on sourcing additionality.

To qualify, the Project Partner shall include in its baseline analyses the following documented information from generally accepted sources:

• Regulatory coverage and implementation in collecting post-consumer plastics (e.g. solid waste management rules, extended producer responsibility).
• Status quo collection rate of the post-consumer plastics which can be referred to site-specific, local or regulatory reports. Supporting information may be provided, as in order of preference:
  1. Government reports
  2. Publicly available reports
  3. Market and ecosystem landscape
  4. Theory of Change analysis (including commodity pricing)
  5. Attestation from the Project Partner with verification from an independent local representative (government or Non-government Organization)

Only the collection volumes satisfying requirements 2.1.1 and 2.1.2 shall be considered additional and may be eligible for Plastic Credits.

• Financial analysis which specifies and commits the flow of funding from Plastic Credits towards the ecosystem (e.g. collection, transport, processing, overhead, other advocacy funds or third-party partners).

REQUIREMENT 2.2. Additionality in Processing:

Aside from the sourcing, the Project Partner shall also demonstrate that the volumes entering their facility would not have been collected if not through the support of the plastic credits in the sourcing and eventually in the processing. For existing operating partners, a baseline shall be established by what is already being collected and introduced into the system. In cases where the lack of plastic credit support can affect the intake of post-consumer plastic, the Project Partner shall provide the supporting documentation or analysis to provide a strong case for this situation. Plastic credits are only valid if the collection data satisfies these information on processing additionality.

To qualify, the Project Partner shall include in its baseline analyses the following documented information from generally accepted sources:

• Regulatory coverage and implementation in processing post-consumer plastics (e.g. solid waste management rules, extended producer responsibility).
• Status quo processing rate of the post-consumer plastics which can be referred to site-specific, local or regulatory reports. Supporting documents in the preferential order is same as that described in Module 3, Requirement 2.1.2.

Only the processing volumes satisfying requirements 2.2.1 and 2.2.2 shall be considered additional and may be eligible for Plastic Credits.

• Financial analysis which specifies and commits the flow of funding from Plastic Credits towards the ecosystem (e.g. collection, transport, processing, overhead, other advocacy funds or third-party partners).

REQUIREMENT 2.3. Ownership:

Project Partners shall similarly establish the ownership of the Plastic Credit associated with the collection and processing of the post-consumer plastic. These may be applicable in projects where a sponsor or an owner has already counted or reported the plastic waste diversion and offsetting. Additional certifications or attestations shall be requested by the auditor to ascertain that the ownership and communication of these plastic credits and their impact are clearly defined.

Only volumes which are not part of another organization’s or a funder’s claim may be eligible for Plastic Credits.

REQUIREMENT 2.4 Environmental and Social Benefits:

The Project Partner must be able to demonstrate, and the auditor must be able to verify, that the project has environmental, economic and/ or social benefits. Alignment with the UN SDGs is encouraged.

CRITERIA 3. Safeguards Systems

Project Partners are required to establish and demonstrate that their overall operations do not negatively impact social and community issues. For example. the Project Partner shall present documented evidence that ensure that they do not engage in Prohibited Activities listed in Module 2 – Safeguards.

REQUIREMENT 3.1. Due Diligence

Accreditation auditors shall conduct due diligence activities, including stakeholder consultations and onsite validation, in order to ascertain the implementation of social safeguards. Due diligence audits shall also include the review of the following documented information, when applicable:

1. Permits related to compliance to labor laws
2. Register of staff/ employees
3. Policy on Prohibited Activities
4. Systems in place to enforce policy

CRITERIA 4. Traceability and Transparency

REQUIREMENT 4.1. Documented Information.

The Project Partner’s compliance to the PPRS shall be evidenced and supported by documented information. All required documented information in the PPRS shall be made available to PCX and Brand Partners through submission to the third-party independent auditor.

It is recommended that the Project Partners assign document numbers, document status (active/ draft/ obsolete) and date of last update/ effective date to all the submitted documents, forms and records, in order to ascertain the accuracy and relevance of each document. The Project partners are required to notify PCX directly or through its third-party accreditation auditor, in a timely manner, if there are significant revisions or changes to the documents, made within the validity period of the accreditation.

REQUIREMENT 4.2. Mass Balance and Chain of Custody

Operational-related documentation is required to ensure the accurate reporting and issuance of Plastic Credits. Any discrepancy within the chain of custody shall be duly analyzed and explained by the Project Partner. The following documents shall support all transactions and shall be made available to PCX:

1. Monitoring Evaluation Records
2. Collection Records
3. Processing Records
4. Sales and Inventory Records
5. Plastic Credit Tracking Method
6. Discrepancy Reporting and Analysis
7. Communication of transactions of Plastic Credits with other Partners, if applicable
8. Impact Monitoring and Reporting

PROJECT PARTNER ACCREDITATION PROCESS

THIRD-PARTY INDEPENDENT AUDITOR

PCX works with auditing partners who can provide assurances consistent with the requirements of the PPRS, local regulations and international best practices. PCX shall qualify the auditing partners prior to their engagement with Project and Brand Partners, with regards to the PPRS.

PCX shall qualify the auditing partners in terms of their understanding of the PPRS and their method statement or audit methodology.

The auditing partners shall also provide a level of verification in the blockchain ledger.

PROJECT PARTNERS

1. Initiation of Partnership

PCX works with individuals or organizations who are interested to participate in the plastic credit sourcing and generation as an aggregator or a transport or hauling partner, or a processor, or both and presents the requirements for accreditation through a service proposal. For cases where the party is interested to become an integrated Project Partner (aggregator-hauler-processor), the requirements for both aggregator and processor shall be fulfilled.

2. Preliminary Evaluation

Project Partner shall submit the identified regulatory and environmental requirements per the country’s requirements as identified in the accreditation checklist for project partners (Appendix 1. PPRS-OP-002-F1). PCX shall review the filled-out checklist to ensure that it meets the scope of the PPRS.

3. Accreditation Audit and Due Diligence

The Project partner shall acquire services from a Qualified third-party accreditation auditor, who shall then perform the accreditation audit. This includes the conduct of due diligence in order to verify the implementation Environmental and Social Safeguards, as defined in Module 2 – Safeguards Systems.

In the case of technical disputes between the Auditor and the Project Partner, PCX may provide further guidance on the interpretation and implementation of the PPRS.

4. Endorsement of Audit Report and Findings

The engaged third-party auditor shall endorse its audit findings and report to PCX for final evaluation and approval. PCX reserves the right to further clarify any finding.

5. Accreditation of Project Partner

PCX shall issue an Accreditation Certificate following the accreditation certificate template (PPRS-OP-002-T1) to the Project Partner to enable them to sell their Plastic Credits.

The accreditation is valid for a period of one (1) year. If the project partner wishes to be reaccredited, it agrees to subject itself to a yearly monitoring/ surveillance audit through submission of updated documentary requirements. Third party independent auditors are no longer required for reaccreditation unless there are significant changes in the operations of the Project Partner.

6. Project Partner Compliance Monitoring and Surveillance

PCX or authorized representatives shall conduct a compliance monitoring and review with the accredited Project Partner on an annual basis based on the Project Partner’s Accreditation date. This includes the review of the Project Partner’s documents to ensure that the permits and agreements remain valid and that no issues or deviations have occurred from the information provided during the Project Partner’s accreditation.

Annual surveillance shall include site visits and key informant interviews to ensure the Project Partner’s continued compliance. This shall also serve as the venue to flag issues and non-compliances, if any.

Any material change in the design and operations of a Project Partner shall be reported to PCX. In cases where there is significant change in the Project Partner’s operations, PCX may opt to conduct a re-accreditation of the Project Partner at their expense.

7. Non-Compliance and Corrective Actions

In the case that a non-compliance is raised during a surveillance audit/ compliance monitoring activity, PCX shall formally notify the Project Partner through documented communication. The Project Partner will have thirty (30) days to respond by submitting a corrective action report (including the root cause, corrective action plan and proposed timeline for the closing of the non- compliance) or an explanation for the non-compliance.

PCX shall then review the corrective action report or explanation and give their concurrence or agreement when satisfied. PCX will verify if the non- compliance has been closed at the agreed upon timeline and if the intended objectives of the corrective action has been met, before closing the non- compliance.

Failure to comply with agreements and the PPRS or non-responsiveness to non-compliance reports, may result in suspension or termination of the Project Partner’s Accreditation and the corresponding legal remedies will apply.

The Plastic Pollution Reduction Standard (PPRS) version 7 is a module-based governance document published by the Plastic Credit Exchange in the implementation of credible and verifiable plastic credit and certification system. In PPRS version 7, each module can be updated separately in accordance with the PPRS amendment process provided in Module 6. Users are advised to refer to the latest version controlled document available at the PCX website: www.plasticcreditexchange.com.

REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

Not applicable for Module 4.

LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix 4.1. Plastic Credit Certificate, PPRS-OP-002-T2

PLASTIC CREDITING PROCESS

This module describes the process for Plastic Credits transactions.

1. Plastic Credit Conversion. One (1) Metric Ton (MT) of plastic waste is equivalent to One (1) Plastic Credit (Collection, Landfill Diversion, or Recycling Credit).

2. Listing of Plastic Credits. Only accredited Project Partners may list their projects and subsequently sell their approved Plastic Credits. Project Partners are required to disclose all commercial transactions relating to these credits, using the assigned serial numbers, for the purpose of traceability and retiring of credits once claimed.

3. Purchasing Plastic Credits. Brand Partners may purchase or commit to purchase Plastic Credits (from avoidance or offsetting partners) for a defined period. Assignment of Plastic Credits to the Brand Partner should be specified at the signing of the documentary requirements and finalized upon verification of the plastic offsets. A Plastic Credit can be assigned in the name of an individual or an organization.

4. Sustaining Ecosystem. PCX enables a series of activities (avoidance projects or offsetting through aggregation, logistics, and processing) from proceeds in plastic offsetting and crediting. In addition to the cost of operations, PCX may allocate funding to the following advocacies:
   1. Education
   2. Infrastructure
   3. Negative Tonnage

5. PCX continuously provides an independent party review of the offsets recovered and processed through accredited Project Partners. Verified plastic offsets shall be compared to the baseline measurements for additionality confirmation and remain valid and transactable until the Plastic Credits are used against a company’s Claim (e.g. Net Zero Plastic Waste). The validity period is provided to ensure that there is a continuous drive to divert fresh plastic waste from the environment.

6. Plastic Credit Certificate. PCX shall release a Plastic Credit Certificate to the Brand Partner with the supporting documents described in item 7 of module 4. These Certificates and the respective support documents will be published on the blockchain ledger and will be made available to the public.

7. Plastic Credits will be issued based on the estimated amount of plastic avoided or on actual plastic waste recovered. The quality and quantity of offsets shall be supported by documentation submitted to PCX or its audit partners and shall be incorporated as attachments in the Plastic Credit Certificates. These supporting documents may include but are not limited to the following:
   1. Certificate of processing
   2. Certificate of pre-treatment
   3. Certificate of Environmental Compliance
   4. Chain of Custody Documents (i.e. Delivery receipts, transfer records)
   5. Calibration records

The Plastic Pollution Reduction Standard (PPRS) version 7 is a module-based governance document published by the Plastic Credit Exchange in the implementation of credible and verifiable plastic credit and certification system. In PPRS version 7, each module can be updated separately in accordance with the PPRS amendment process provided in Module 6. Users are advised to refer to the latest version controlled document available at the PCX website: www.plasticcreditexchange.com.

REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

PCX Guidance Note 02 PET Recycling Material Analysis for Plastic Credit Treatment.

Plastic Footprint Calculator

PCX Guidance Note 03 Introducing ‘Net Zero Plastic Waste’ to Replace ‘Plastic Neutral’

LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix 5.1. Communication and Badge Guide

Appendix 5.2. Net Zero Plastic Waste Certification Form [Net Plastic Footprint > 100 MT],

PPRS-OP-002-F2

Appendix 5.3. Net Zero Plastic Waste Certification Form [Net Plastic Footprint </= 100 MT],

PPRS-OP-002-F3

Appendix 5.4. Certification Template – Net Zero Plastic Waste, PPRS-OP-002-T3

Appendix 5.5. Certification Template – Plastic-Free, PPRS-OP-002-T4

BRAND PARTNER CERTIFICATION PROCESS AND REQUIREMENTS

The PPRS is designed to encourage individuals and businesses to refrain from the use of plastic in their products and/or to take responsibility for their own Plastic Footprint. PCX Solutions provides options for individuals and businesses to participate in this important endeavor while maintaining a high degree of accountability and transparency.

For businesses, the state of being Plastic-Free or Net Zero Plastic Waste may be achieved at different levels of an Brand Partner’s operations, as defined in Module 1 – Scope:

Brand. This is achieved when the plastic footprint that corresponds to all products under a specific brand has been brought to at least net zero through various solution sets (including reduction, recycling and offsetting) for a defined period.

Event. This is achieved when the plastic footprint that corresponds to all activities under a specific event (including preparations and clean-up) has been brought to at least net zero through various solution sets (including reduction, recycling and offsetting)  for the event’s defined period.

Company. This is achieved when the plastic footprint that corresponds to all parts of the company’s operations, including the plastic inputs for producing the products and services, logistics, advertising, promotion and selling, as well as general administrative activities of a company (excluding third-party services) has been brought to at least net zero through various solution sets (including reduction, recycling and offsetting)  for a defined period.

PCX Solutions encourages all businesses to achieve a Plastic-Free or Net Zero Plastic Waste and as such, devises ways for business across all sizes to participate in the process with the necessary rigor,   accountability, and transparency.

Companies seeking Certification for any scope, shall undertake the following processes and fulfill the requirements defined for each:

1. Define Scope.

The state of being Plastic-Free or  Net Zero Plastic Waste may be achieved at different levels in an Brand Partners’ operations.

It is critical that a good baseline measurement is achieved, and the first step will be to define the coverage of the operations, for which various and comprehensive solutions (including reduction, recycling and offsetting) will be defined. In addition to the scope of certification, the Brand Partner must specify the three (3) – year coverage period for which the plastic footprint will be assessed and audited.

The entity applying for Certification must be clearly defined by its legally registered name with a description of relevant legal and/or geographical boundaries.

In the Plastic Footprint Calculator, PCX Solutions provides guidance on accounting for the full life cycle assessment of recycled materials.  Thus, the following calculations shall be applied with the succeeding requirements for Certifications:

For Brands with Recycled Content:

Retain minimum of 10% of Recycled Packaging due for plastic offsetting.

For Manufacturers:

Base the Plastic Footprint on raw material inputs.

For more information, please refer to PCX Guidance Note 02 PET Recycling Material Analysis for Plastic Credit Treatment.

REQUIREMENT 1.1. The Brand Partner shall define its scope of certification, including geographical/ legal boundaries, activities, products and services.

2. Measure and Verify Plastic Footprint.

Once the Brand Partner has defined the scope of its desired level of Plastic-Free or  Net Zero Plastic Waste, the Brand Partner shall assess its plastic waste impact or plastic footprint. PCX Solutions will provide guidance to the organization for the use of the Plastic Footprint Calculator and shall help the organization submit its computed Plastic Footprint to a third-party assessor for auditing. The Brand Partner may opt to use other Plastic Footprint Calculation methods (such as the EPR Toolkit and the WWF ReSource kit) as long as the minimum requirements of the PCX Plastic Footprint Calculation are met. The Brand Partner must prepare and gather data needed, measure their Plastic Insets, and calculate the company, or the brand’s total Plastic Footprint, defined as all the plastic purchased along the value chain starting upon ownership and receipt of raw materials up until use of product or service by consumers in its intended purpose.

For brands with plastic footprint above 100 MT, the Brand Partner must engage an independent auditor qualified by PCX Solutions (refer to PPRS module 3, Project Partner Accreditation Process, Third-Party Independent Auditor) and this audit partner should understand the full set of data that will be included in its assessment. As their calculation of the plastic footprint underpins the qualification for Plastic-Free or Net Zero Plastic Waste, the Brand Partner must provide PCX  Solutions with a true and certified copy of this audit document.

For brands with plastic footprint below 100 MT, the plastic footprint assessment shall be reviewed by PCX Solutions.

REQUIREMENT 2.1. The Brand Partner shall measure their Plastic Footprint. The Plastic Footprint Assessment shall be verified and assessed by a third-party auditor as defined above and submitted to PCX.

1. Commit and Plan.

It is important to understand that Plastic Credits (Offsetting) are not intended to be the topmost preference in the hierarchy of solution sets towards a circular economy. Any plastic that can be safely removed from the supply chain should be removed. Any plastic that can be reused or recycled should be labeled and directed to those use cases. And any plastics that cannot yet be removed from the supply chain should be offset to ensure that it does not pollute the planet and wind up in nature.

It is essential for Brand Partners to demonstrate their long-term commitment to the Plastic Pollution Reduction. Brand Partners may do this through environmental policies, plans, procedures or other company-wide communication.

PCX Solution Sets

REQUIREMENT 3.1. Brand Partners shall be able to demonstrate their commitment to Plastic Pollution Reduction. This commitment shall be maintained as documented information and shall be communicated to its organization.

REQUIREMENT 3.2. Brand Partners shall create and implement a Plastic Reduction and Responsibility Plan, which will include the their plastic waste reduction or avoidance, reuse and recycling initiatives and targets. The coverage of the Plan shall be aligned with the coverage period of the Certification, as discussed further in Module 5, Item 4. The same document will serve as a monitoring tool within the validity of the certification.

Note: PCX provides a template for the Plastic Reduction and Responsibility Plan in the PCX Guidance Note 03 Introducing ‘Net Zero Plastic Waste’ to Replace ‘Plastic Neutral’, however, the Brand Partner may choose to use their own template, as long as the key elements in this requirement is fulfilled.

1. Secure Plastic Credits (For Net Zero Plastic Waste Certification only).

A Brand Partner covering Brand or Company commits to cover its net plastic footprint (plastic footprint that cannot be reduced or recycled yet in other ways) for a period of three (3) consecutive years.

The Brand Partner may specify any month as the start of the defined period. The plastic reduction commitment (as part of the Brand Partner’s comprehensive solutions including reduction and recycling) should be based on:

1. Year 1: Actual Plastic Footprint for the past year
2. Year 2: Plastic Footprint the current year
3. Year 3: Plastic Footprint forecasted for the succeeding year

For Brand Partners for Event, the Plastic Credits shall correspond to the total Plastic Footprint including preparation and post-event activities. The  Net Zero Plastic Waste Certification shall only be released once the actual Plastic Footprint has been verified.

The purchased Plastic Credits and supporting documentation shall be published on the blockchain ledger. Re-assessment and verification of the Plastic Footprint will have to be conducted by the Brand Partner every year.

Plastic-Free Partners do not need to secure Plastic Credits but shall submit an audit certification that the Plastic Footprint based on the defined scope and period, is zero. Procedures for verification and monitoring shall be agreed by PCX Solutions and the Brand Partner.

REQUIREMENT 4.1. The Brand Partner shall purchase the amount of Plastic Credit equivalent to its Net Plastic Footprint for a period of three (3) years, as aligned with its Verified Plastic Footprint Assessment and Plastic Reduction and Responsibility Plan. The transactions will be verified by PCX and shall be published in the blockchain ledger.

1. Certification.

Once the relevant requirements of the PPRS are fulfilled, PCX Solutions will award the Brand Partner with a Net Zero Plastic Waste or Plastic-Free Certificate, following the templates laid out in Appendix 04 and 05 of Module 5.

REQUIREMENT 5.1. PCX Solutions shall issue a Plastic-Free  or Net Zero Plastic Waste Certificate to the Brand Partner upon fulfillment of the relevant requirements for Certification. The Certificate shall contain the details of certification such as Company/ Brand/ Event/ Site Name, scope of the certification, and validity period of the certification.

1. Communicate.

When an entity becomes an official Plastic-Free or Net Zero Plastic Waste Certified partner, it is granted rights to the use of the Plastic-Free or  Net Zero Plastic Waste badge, to signify its action and commitment in its packaging and marketing communications. PCX provides the assets and guidance for applying the Plastic-Free or  Net Zero Plastic Waste Badge in its packaging and communications.

REQUIREMENT 6.1. All communications relating to one’s Plastic-Free or  Net Zero Plastic Waste status shall be factually based, clear, and transparent. All Plastic-Free or  Net Zero Plastic Waste partners must publicly disclose their plastic footprint assessments, reduction and recycling targets and progress, offsets and other related initiatives on reduction and recycling relating to their Plastic-Free or  Net Zero Plastic Waste certification on the blockchain ledger.

REQUIREMENT 6.2. The use of the Plastic-Free or  Net Zero Plastic Waste badge must conform to the usage terms laid out on Appendix 02. It is the Brand Partner’s responsibility to ensure that their claims are compliant with any local guidelines.

Note: The usage of the Plastic-Free or Net Zero Plastic Waste badge is optional. However, when the Company/ Brand/ Event/ Site opts to use such, it must conform to the requirements and guidelines of the PPRS.

7. Brand Partner Compliance Monitoring and Surveillance.

PCX or authorized representatives shall conduct an annual monitoring of the Brand Partner’s Plastic Footprint Assessment, status of the implementation of its Plastic Reduction and Responsibility Plan, conformity to the requirements of the PPRS, and compliance to the agreements on which the Certification is anchored upon. The surveillance audit shall be based upon the validity period of the certification and shall be agreed upon by PCX Solutions and the Brand Partner.

REQUIREMENT 7.1. The Brand Partner shall update its Plastic Footprint Assessment on a yearly basis to ensure that Net Zero Plastic Waste or Plastic-Free Status is maintained. The updated assessment must be verified in accordance with Module 5, Requirement 2.1.

REQUIREMENT 7.2. The Brand Partner shall submit its monitoring of the  implementation of its Plastic Reduction and Responsibility Plan on an annual basis within the validity period of its certification, to PCX Solutions.

REQUIREMENT 7.3. The Brand Partner shall inform PCX of any material changes to its Plastic Footprint Assessment or Plastic Reduction and Responsibility Plan, in a timely manner. PCX shall assess the changes and verify if an addendum will be required for agreements and certification.

8. Non-Compliance Reports and Corrective Actions.

In the case that a non-compliance is raised during a surveillance audit/ compliance monitoring activity, PCX shall formally notify the Brand Partner through documented communication. The Brand Partner will have thirty (30) days to respond by providing an explanation and submitting a corrective action report (including the root cause, corrective action plan and proposed timeline for the closing of the non- compliance).

PCX shall then review the corrective action report or explanation and give their concurrence or agreement when satisfied. PCX will verify if the corrective action has been completed at the agreed upon timeline and if the intended objectives of the corrective action has been met, before closing the non- compliance.

Failure to conform to the PPRS and comply with agreements with PCX Solutions, or non-responsiveness to non-compliance reports, may result in suspension or termination of the Brand Partner’s Plastic-Free or  Net Zero Plastic Waste status and the corresponding legal remedies will apply.

REQUIREMENT 8.1. The Brand Partner shall submit an explanation or a Corrective Action Report for Non-Compliances raised by PCX solutions through a Non-Compliance Report.

The Plastic Pollution Reduction Standard (PPRS) version 7 is a module-based governance document published by the Plastic Credit Exchange in the implementation of credible and verifiable plastic credit and certification system. In PPRS version 7, each module can be updated separately in accordance with the PPRS amendment process provided in Module 6. Users are advised to refer to the latest version controlled document available at the PCX website: www.plasticcreditexchange.com.

REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

Not applicable for Module 6.

LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix 6.1. Amendment Request Form, PPRS-OP-002-F4

Appendix 6.2. Amendment Request Form, PPRS-OP-002-F5

PPRS GOVERNANCE

This module is added into the PPRS to demonstrate PCX’s continued commitment to Transparency, Integrity, Traceability and Continuous Improvement.

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL AUDIT

The objective of the audits is to provide at least a limited or a reasonable assurance level to confirm that PCX is able to implement the systems and conduct its operations in accordance with the PPRS. Non-conformities identified from either type of audits must have corresponding corrective action plans and a set timeline for closure.

INTERNAL AUDITS

PCX Solutions shall conduct an Internal Audit for its processes, at least once a year. The internal audit shall cover document control, implementation of the PPRS, including accreditation and certification requirements, and the review of the blockchain registry.

Results of the Internal Audit shall be recorded through an Internal Audit Report. The Internal Audit Report will be subject to an External Audit and will be made available to the public through the PCX website.

EXTERNAL AUDITS

PCX shall engage a third-party independent auditor and subject itself to an external audit, at least once a year. The External Audit shall cover the PPRS standard and its implementation, issued accreditations and certifications, review of the blockchain registry, and the results and status of corrective actions from the Internal Audits.

The results of the External Audit, in the form of an External Audit Report, shall be made available to the public through the PCX website.

PPRS REVIEW AND AMENDMENTS

To provide an overall and comprehensive review of the modules and the overall objectives of the Plastic Pollution Reduction Standards, PCX shall form the PPRS Review Board (PRB). The PRB shall be the approving body for any amendment, into any of the PPRS modules or the overall implementation of the module itself.

The PRB is composed of the following members with proven experience and expertise specific to plastic waste management. The composition of the PRB shall be made available in the PCX website (www.plasticcreditexchange.com).

Any amendment to the PPRS shall be facilitated by PCX Solutions and circulated for review by the PRB. The PRB shall provide their respective individual response with the action to PCX Solutions and shall, if needed, provide clarifications or schedule a meeting for the effective resolutions of the amendment request. Appendix 1 and 2 show the amendment request and review/ feedback form, respectively, and such will be communicated digitally (through e-mail or online forms).

CHANGE MANAGEMENT

PCX Solutions shall ensure that the amendments are communicated effectively to all stakeholders and partners.  Change management plans shall be put in place for changes that significantly affect a Partner’s operations or accreditation or certification status. Effectivity of amendments or revisions shall not be made retroactively and shall be at a date that would allow for partners to manage any system or documentary change needed. The Effectivity Date of the revisions shall be made at least three (3) months after the respective revision’s publication date. PCX Solutions shall also ensure that partners have acknowledged receiving the updates and have fully understood the revisions especially those impacting the specific partner’s operations and accreditation or certification status.

NON-COMPLIANCES AND GRIEVANCES

At any time where a non-compliance is identified, PCX Solutions shall issue a Non-Compliance Report to a Brand Partner or a Project Partner. Partners are given thirty (30) days to clarify, respond to and propose a Corrective Action Plan for the non-compliance. PCX Solutions reserve the right to suspend or terminate the accreditation status, a specific plastic credit or a certification of a Partner if the non-compliances are unresolved within the agreed upon timeline or if the Partner is unresponsive to requests for explanation or corrective actions..

Feedback, suggestions, complaints or grievances may be communicated to PCX through its website or at contact@plasticcreditexchange.com. These shall be addressed by the respective PCX team on a case-to-case basis. PCX shall communicate the results of its investigation or the resulting actions to the interested party, if deemed necessary.  Any corrective actions, resulting from grievances, that will affect the PPRS implementation may be proposed as an amendment following the PPRS Review and Amendment Guidelines.

DOCUMENT CONTROL

PCX shall ensure the integrity of its documents and the traceability of its records. All standards, guidance notes, templates, forms, and certificates will be assigned a control number in order to provide accessibility and ease of retrievability.

Version control and history is provided for the PPRS to monitor any significant changes.

All documents supporting the accreditation/ certification/ awarding of Plastic Credits shall be attached in the blockchain ledger. Offline documents, records and communication shall be retained for a minimum period of ten (10) years.