New national standard aims to boost trust in recycling

The Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR) and Good Environmental Choices Australia (GECA) have officially launched the Australian Recycling Facilities (ARF) standard.

The ARF standard establishes a new national benchmark for genuine recycling facilities throughout the country, providing an independent framework for assessing these facilities on a site-by-site basis and recognising that performance can vary across operations and locations.

Developed through consultation with industry and stakeholders, the standard supports best practice in environmental management, operational performance, transparency, health and safety, and social responsibility.

According to ACOR and GECA, the launch comes at a time when public confidence in recycling remains a challenge. Recent research has found that 41 per cent of Australians do not trust that their recycling will be properly recycled, highlighting growing demand for greater transparency and accountability across the recycling value chain.

Josh Begbie, GECA Chief Executive Officer, said the new standard will help strengthen confidence in Australia’s recycling system by providing independent verification of facility performance.

“Australians increasingly expect confidence that materials collected for recycling are being properly recovered and returned to productive use,” he said.

“The ARF standard provides an independent and credible way to recognise facilities that are delivering genuine recycling outcomes and operating to high environmental, operational, and social standards.

ACOR Chief Executive Officer Suzanne Toumbourou further emphasised the standard’s role in improving industry transparency.

“By setting a nationally recognised benchmark, the ARF standard helps create a more transparent and accountable recycling sector,” she said.

“That matters not just to operators but also to customers, governments and other end users who are increasingly seeking assurance that recovered materials are being properly recycled.

“Importantly, this is also about strengthening demand for Australian recyclate. When buyers have confidence in how materials are processed, it supports better procurement decisions and helps unlock investment across the circular economy.”

Facilities certified under the standard undergo independent third-party assessment against criteria covering environmental management, operational performance, transparency, health and safety, and social responsibility.

Applications for certification are now open. Recycling facilities interested in demonstrating industry leadership, genuine recycling outcomes and independent verification of their operations are encouraged to explore certification under the ARF standard.