ISRI Promotes RIOS Certification at Plastics Recycling Conference

Since 1950 the global production of plastics has grown an average of 9 percent annually, according to the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Inc. (ISRI), a trade association servicing the recycling industry headquartered in Washington, D.C. As plastics production continues to grow, the proper recycling of plastics is more critical than ever, the association says.

To ensure that the plastic scrap is properly handled, ISRI has developed the Recycling Industry Operating Standard (RIOS), a management system standard developed for and by the recycling industry. It is designed to promote responsible practices and a positive image of recyclers that process all types of end-of-life, obsolete and used materials, according to ISRI.

ISRI says that with RIOS certification, facilities are able to:

• Fine-tune their operations and streamline their processing methods;  
• Create a safer environment for workers, leading to lower injury-related costs;  
• Produce better quality commodities with lower environmental impact; and
• Gain a profitable return on investment.

RIOS incorporates the quality, environmental and health and safety requirements—also found in ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001, respectively—into a comprehensive management system, ISRI says, which allows recyclers to enter the international markets, as it is a globally accepted and recognized certification that adheres to Basel Convention requirements.

More information is available at www.isri.org/certifyme.