The Plastic Free Certification is evidence that your business is dedicated to reducing the use of plastic, endorses sustainability, and encourages the use of eco-friendly alternatives. This Certification indicates that your business is strongly committed to promoting sustainability and decreasing plastic consumption. Upon successful completion of the PFC program your organisation will be awarded a certificate and the use of our Trademark which we encourage you to use to promote your positive values.
On social media, your website, newsletters, company stationery, displayed in your offices, and on other promotional materials. The PFC team will also promote your progress and success on our network of online and offline platforms, and through our extensive network of NGO partners.
Your designated auditor will provide you with a duration estimate once a date for your audit has been finalised. Usually, an audit takes one day; less for smaller properties with fewer services and longer for large or complex organisations.
Your designated auditor will inform you exactly who needs to be present and when. Normally, the individual managing your Plastic Free Certification will need to be present for the entire audit. The auditor will also wish to speak with several other department heads, and conduct private interviews with at least three employees of their choice.
Plastic is a man-made material: once created, it will remain on the planet indefinitely, polluting the environment. Plastic is gradually becoming a serious health threat to humans, plants and animals, and can have a life-threatening effect on many vital species.
We usually overlook the flood of unnecessary plastic in our daily lives, but tons of oil go into the production & disposal of plastic, creating greenhouse gas emissions which damage the planet and its wildlife. Plastic is putting more than 1,200 diverse species at risk from either eating or entanglement and, each year, more than 8 million metric tons of plastics are thrown into the ocean. By 2050, it’s been estimated that there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans.
Sadly, no. Recycling is not the answer to the worldwide plastic crisis. 90% of all the plastic ever produced has not been recycled, but ends up in landfills, incinerators or in the environment. Recycling systems simply cannot keep up with the huge volume of plastic waste that is being generated.
The answer is to take steps to reduce our plastic waste, and recycle only as a last resort.
Although research has been conducted into plastic-eating microbes, these studies are conducted under laboratory conditions. Even if we could make these schemes work in a real-life setting, the influence of tiny microbes would be insignificant in comparison with the colossal problem of plastic pollution.
As a professional organisation we have very strict standards, and take cases of trademark misuse very seriously. If you suspect the PFC trademark is being misused, please contact us immediately.
By obtaining your Plastic Free Certification, you’re letting your customers know that your organisation:
- Commits to the care of the environment
- Compares favourably with your competitors
- Complies beyond the EU legislation on single-use plastics
Your membership is valid for one year from the day payment is received. Your Certification is valid for one year from the day of issue.
We work closely with your organisation to ensure an appropriate date is chosen. We will always consider your suggestions, though cannot promise your preferred date will be chosen as our auditors do have ongoing obligations. We start the audit allocation procedure three months prior to the actual audit, so the more notice you can give us the better.
By using plastic-free products, you’re positioning your organisation as ecologically responsible, and proving to your customers that you’re committed to the care of the environment, your clientele, and the law. In 2019, the European parliament voted to ban single-use plastic cutlery, cotton buds, straws and stirrers as part of a sweeping law against plastic waste that despoils beaches and pollutes oceans. This vote by MEPs paves the way for a ban on single-use plastics to come into force by 2021 in all EU member states.
Yes. Human health and plastic pollution are interrelated. As plastic debris floats in the seawater, it absorbs hazardous pollutants like PCBs & DDTs. These substances are extremely toxic and can have long-lasting effects on the human system. Plastic also contains harmful plasticizers, hardeners, flame retardants, stabilisers and softeners. To give just one example, Bisphenol A (a substance used to strengthen plastic) can irritate your body’s hormones, interfering with the secretion, production, transport, function, action and elimination of your hormones.
Humans also consume plastic waste: on average we ingest approximately five grams of micro plastic every week, about the same weight as a credit card. After a month of ingesting plastic, you’re up to 21 grams, the equivalent of a clothes hanger. The average person is likely to consume around 74,000 to 121,000 micro plastic particles on a yearly basis. Half of this micro plastic toxification comes from the air; the remaining half comes from the food and drinks we consume.
Climate change and plastic pollution are interrelated. Plastic is a contaminator – from its production to handling, and from its use to its disposal. 99% of conventional plastic is made from fossil fuels and is a product of the oil and gas industry, which has been proven to be have a hugely negative impact on climate change.
Rejecting single-use plastic is the key factor in combating plastic pollution. If single-use plastic is stopped at its source, we will we see almost instant benefits to our planet, the environment, and our health. Businesses (which use more plastic than the everyday consumer) have a crucial role to play in the reduction of plastic pollution. And, when an organisation enthusiastically rejects the use of plastic, they’re both reducing demand and becoming a role model for their customers.
If you haven’t found the answer to your question here, we’d be glad to speak to you in person, over the phone, or via email. Please visit our Contacts page to find out how to get in touch – we’re always very happy to answer all your queries.
