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The SCS Recycled Content Standard, formally designated SCS-103, is a third-party certification that verifies the recycled content of products and materials. Published by SCS Standards, the standard has been in use since 1989 and was updated to Version 8.0 in May 2024. It is primarily a chain of custody standard that lets companies quantify recycled content using either a physical segregation model or a mass balance model. This guide explains the certification requirements, who it applies to, and how to prepare for an audit.
What Is the SCS Recycled Content Standard?
The SCS Certification Standard for Recycled Content (SCS-103) sets out the requirements for independent, third-party certification of the recycled content of a product or material. Its core purpose is to give buyers and the public a verified basis for recycled content claims.
SCS-103 is primarily a chain of custody standard. Entities use it to quantify recycled content through a physical segregation chain of custody model or a mass balance chain of custody model.
Version 8.0, released in May 2024, introduced several key changes: structural revisions to the document outline, updated terms and definitions, a new option to certify using a mass balance chain of custody model, a minimum threshold of 5% recycled content, an example bill of materials template, and a revised claims and labelling section with example claims language.
Who Needs SCS Recycled Content Certification?
SCS-103 applies to products and materials that contain mechanically or chemically recycled content, including pre-consumer and post-consumer recycled content of any type such as plastic, metal alloy, or fiber.
The following entities that take physical possession or legal ownership of recycled products or materials are in scope: material recyclers, processors, manufacturers, and traders or distributors that apply private labels or rebrand products.
The standard is not applicable to material collectors and sorters. Brokers and transportation companies are in scope only if they take ownership of the recycled material.
Products classified as electrical and electronic equipment can additionally and optionally be certified against SCS-103 Annex A, the Supplemental Criteria for Electrical and Electronic Equipment.
Core Certification Requirements
To maintain chain of custody, every client undergoing certification must meet three groups of requirements: management systems and documentation (Section 6), a chain of custody model (Section 7 physical segregation and/or Section 8 mass balance) for all inputs and outputs, and claims and labelling (Section 9).
Management System and Documentation
The client shall maintain a documented traceability procedure specific to the chain of custody model applied, showing how recycled materials are tracked through operations.
A bill of materials (BOM) must list each component or material, the supplier name (required only for recycled material), the classification (pre-consumer, post-consumer, or virgin), the dry weight of the component in the final product, and the dry weight of recycled content.
Supplier verification requires the client to provide the certification body with signed supplier affidavit forms or valid sustainability declarations for at least 95% of total eligible recycled or secondary material, by dry weight.
Supplier records, including invoices, bills of lading, delivery receipts, supplier affidavits or sustainability declarations, audit reports, certificates, and corrective action plans, must be kept for a minimum of 7 years.
Chain of Custody — Physical Segregation
Under physical segregation, materials with different origins or characteristics are kept physically separate in all operations.
Eligible products must contain at least 5% recycled content. The client maintains documented procedures to segregate recycled from virgin material and conformant from non-conformant product, records scrap, reuse, and waste rates, maintains material supply data and production totals, and performs an input/output reconciliation using a conversion factor that accounts for system losses.
Materials used as fuel, and pre-consumer recycled material that is fed back into and reused in the same process without further processing, are excluded from the recycled content claim.
Chain of Custody — Mass Balance Allocation
Mass balance allocation is the credit method used to implement a mass balance chain of custody. It allows recycled and non-recycled materials to be mixed within a defined system boundary.
The final allocated product must contain at least 5% allocated recycled content. The client defines a system boundary that may span one or more sites and processes, maintains a documented mass balance procedure, and tracks all inputs and outputs.
Inputs are converted into credits using a single unit of measure — mass, or, for chemical recycling, energetic value based on the lower heating value (LHV). Credits may be held in stock or transferred virtually between sites that are wholly or majority owned (more than 50%) by the same company or parent.
Credits are retired and allocated to outputs, with older credits withdrawn before newer ones. Reconciliation of credits is performed at least every 3 months, with an extension not exceeding 12 months where justified by the site's production and distribution schedule. A credit account may temporarily be negative but must reach zero or positive by the end of the reconciliation period. Unused credits carry over and do not expire while certification remains valid.
Claims and Labelling
All claims language and certification label usage, including private labels, must be reviewed and approved by the certification body before use, must conform to the certification body's labelling and language requirements, and must comply with U.S. Federal Trade Commission guidelines or other national guidelines where applicable.
Claims must reference the claim option and the chain of custody model. Recognized claim options include Minimum Recycled Content, Total Recycled Content, Average Recycled Content, Weighted Average Recycled Content, and Made With (a material-level claim).
The Certification Process
Conformance is demonstrated through an audit conducted by an SCS Standards-approved certification body, following the SCS-103 Certification Body Requirements.
To reduce duplication, a client may leverage data already collected under other recognized third-party certification standards, including the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC), REDcert2, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) Advanced Products, and the Textile Exchange Recycled Claim Standard.
A client may appeal a certification decision within 30 days of receiving the final report; appeals are submitted to the certification body. Complaints are handled by the certification body and, if unresolved, may be elevated to SCS Standards.
The specific audit schedule and certificate validity are set by the certification body under the SCS-103 Certification Body Requirements; confirm these details with your chosen certification body.
FAQ: SCS Recycled Content Standard Frequently Asked Questions
The following are frequently asked questions about the SCS Recycled Content Standard (SCS-103). These questions are optimized to capture People Also Ask sections in search results.
Q: What is the SCS Recycled Content Standard (SCS-103)?
A: SCS-103 is a third-party certification by SCS Standards that verifies the recycled content of products and materials. It is primarily a chain of custody standard, letting companies quantify recycled content through physical segregation or mass balance, and it supports verified recycled content claims in the market.
Q: What is the minimum recycled content required for certification?
A: Under Version 8.0, eligible products must contain at least 5% recycled content under physical segregation, or at least 5% allocated recycled content under the mass balance model. Only pre-consumer and post-consumer materials count as recycled content. The 5% threshold was introduced in Version 8.0.
Q: What is the difference between physical segregation and mass balance?
A: Physical segregation keeps recycled and virgin materials physically separate in all operations and tracks them with a bill of materials and reconciliation. Mass balance allows mixing within a defined system boundary, converts recycled inputs into credits, and allocates those credits to outputs. Both models require a minimum of 5% recycled content.
Q: Who is eligible to apply for SCS Recycled Content certification?
A: Entities that take physical possession or legal ownership of recycled products or materials: material recyclers, processors, manufacturers, and traders or distributors that private-label or rebrand. Collectors and sorters are out of scope; brokers and transporters are in scope only if they take ownership. The standard covers mechanically or chemically recycled content of any type.
Q: How long must supplier records be kept?
A: The client must maintain records of both current and past suppliers for a minimum of 7 years for all recycled material purchased. Records include invoices, bills of lading, delivery receipts, supplier affidavits or sustainability declarations, audit reports, certificates, and corrective action plans.
Q: Can recycled material certified under other standards be used?
A: Yes. To support conformance, a client may leverage data from recognized third-party certification standards, including BCI, FSC, ISCC, REDcert2, RSB Advanced Products, and the Textile Exchange Recycled Claim Standard. The client should coordinate with its certification body on how to apply this data.
Conclusion
The SCS Recycled Content Standard (SCS-103) gives manufacturers, recyclers, processors, and traders a rigorous, third-party verified path to substantiate recycled content claims. With a 5% minimum threshold, two chain of custody options, clear documentation duties, and defined claims rules, the standard is well suited to companies building circular-economy credentials. If you are preparing for SCS-103 certification, our team can help you map requirements, close documentation gaps, and coordinate with an approved certification body.
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References
- SCS Standards. (2024). SCS Certification Standard for Recycled Content (SCS-103), Version 8.0 (May 2024). Retrieved from https://www.scsstandards.org/
- SCS Standards. (2024). SCS-103 Annex A: Supplemental Criteria for Electrical and Electronic Equipment. Retrieved from https://www.scsstandards.org/standards/recycled-content-standard-annexA
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