Proposed Re-use Standard 2013

At the beginning of September WRAP has launched a consultation process for a proposed Re-use Standard 2013.

The aim of the generic, sector-wide Standard is to enable organisations in the UK to offer products for re-use that have been subjected to a quality assured process, thereby building customer confidence in purchasing from the re-use sector and aiding its development.

The Re-use Standard 2013, currently in draft form, will be supported by a number of product-specific requirement standards that will detail additional criteria. These will need to be met by the processing organisations for specific product groups, such as electricals, furniture and textiles.

The Re-use Standard 2013 has been drafted in association with a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) comprising of UK stakeholders from across the re-use sector; including Governments, public bodies, commercial and charitable re-use operators, and waste and resource management companies.

Launching the consultation, Dr David Moon, Head of Resource Efficiency in Products and Services at WRAP, said: “An important constraint on the growth of this sector is weak consumer confidence in the quality of products offered for re-sale. This is partly due to the shortage of publicly available standards for preparing such items. The Re-use Standard will address this gap, and we now welcome comments that will help shape the Standard.”

In addition to seeking technical and editorial comments on the Standard itself, the consultation will also seek views on the extent of the need for product-specific requirements and on branding, compliance and associated issues.

This consultation is primarily aimed at organisations and businesses undertaking the collection, processing and dispatch of products or components for re-use. However, feedback is encouraged from all customers and operators in the supply chain, as well as procurers for re-use products and components, including business/private sector, trade associations, charity/voluntary bodies, central government, local/regional government, and agency/public bodies.

The consultation for the Standard will run for a two month period.

WRAP has commissioned the environmental consultancy, Oakdene Hollins, to prepare the Standard and manage the consultation process.

To get involved in the consultation, please visit www.wrap.org.uk/reusestandard.

For enquiries please email reuse.standard@oakdenehollins.co.uk