The Panel managing the CHSA’s Accreditation Scheme for Plastic Refuse Sacks has voted to enhance the criteria for membership.
As well as having to pass a series of rigorous audits conducted by the Scheme’s Independent Inspector to gain admittance, from 1 January 2017 all new Scheme members must meet a minimum threshold for the proportion manufactured of CHSA Accredited Product.
“Our goal is to relentlessly drive up standards in the industry,” explained Mike Stubbs, Chairman of the Accreditation Scheme Panel. “Buyers of ‘brown box’ product are taking a chance. There are no rules governing the labeling of this type of product so there’s no way of being sure you get what you think you’ve bought. Our ambition is whenever a buyer purchases plastic refuse, compactor or wheelie bin sacks they can be absolutely certain that ‘what’s on the box is in the box’. The decision by the Panel is another step in this direction.”
New members will have to produce at least 10% by tonnage of all plastic refuse, compactor and wheelie bin sacks under the CHSA Marque in the first year of membership. That means the product will have to be labeled in compliance with the Scheme and regularly audited to ensure it is fit for purpose. In the second year of membership the threshold will increase to 20% and then 30% in the third and future years.
The CHSA’s Independent Inspector audits the products within the Scheme using the British Standards Institute’s Drop Test, during which the sack is filled to a pre-defined weight then dropped a specific height and assessed. Ten sacks are tested in this way and only if the batch passes is it marked suitable for the ‘duty’ category in question. The labels are reviewed to ensure there is full traceability to manufacturer and batch and ‘what’s on the box is in the box’. Martin Yates also audits members’ quality systems to ensure they are as vigilant with their own systems as with the products audited by the Inspector.
Scheme Members that fail to meet the requirements may be ultimately expelled, a sanction not required in recent years as they value their membership.