Navigating GRS & RCS Certification: Practical Insights from Engagements with Recyclers

Global Recycled Standard (GRS) and Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) certifications are increasingly important for accessing export markets that require verified recycled content. While both aim to validate recycled material claims, they differ in scope: RCS focuses primarily on supply chain traceability, whereas GRS adopts a broader approach covering environmental performance, chemical management, and social compliance. The certification process involves a third-party audit, including a plant visit, and can be demanding for smaller companies due to its comprehensive requirements.

Against this backdrop, our engagement with two small-scale recyclers involved in foam and flexible film recycling (LDPE and PP) offers practical insights into navigating the GRS and RCS certification processes. The certification process required systematic documentation across procurement, plant operations, and sales, along with compliance with applicable legal, labor, and health and safety requirements.

Key Challenges

The process also revealed common challenges faced by smaller recycling enterprises, as follows.

• Lack of structured and digitized data systems • Lack of dedicated personnel for compliance coordination • Limited awareness of GRS/RCS certification requirements

Based on these experiences, the following focus areas emerge as critical for effective GRS and RCS certification readiness.

Focus Areas for GRS & RCS Certification Readiness

These focus areas are explained in detail below.

Legal Compliance

Ensure statutory permissions and legal documentation are valid, complete, and regularly updated, including:

• GST registration • Udyam certificate • Fire NOCs • Licenses and operational permits

Social Safeguards

• Maintain structured employment documentation such as appointment letters, attendance records, salary slips, and training registers to demonstrate compliance with labour regulations related to working hours, minimum wages, and prohibition of child labour.
• Ensure health and safety compliance through periodic fire drills, documented emergency procedures, and proper use of emergency equipment and PPE.

Environmental and Chemical Management

• Maintain consistent monitoring and record-keeping of electricity and water consumption, waste generation, and waste and wastewater disposal.
• Keep updated chemical risk documentation and MSDS records.

Supply Chain Traceability

Ensure material traceability across procurement, production, and sales through systematic documentation, including:

• Purchase orders, invoices, delivery challans, and payment receipts
• Production logs
• Quality test certificates and operational monitoring records

Together, these focus areas lay the foundation for effective GRS and RCS certification. Across these areas, maintaining digitized documentation and assigning a designated person responsible for data and compliance management is strongly recommended. Ultimately, GRS and RCS certification extends beyond compliance, strengthening operational systems and supporting long-term sustainability.

Contributed by

Aniruddha Pandav Lead Consultant — Social Lab Environmental Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

Social Lab Environmental Solutions offers reliable and affordable sustainability solutions in the fields of CBAM, Carbon Neutrality, ESG Compliance, and EPR. To know more, please visit our website, Social Lab_, and follow us on _LinkedIn for sectoral updates.