Plastic is an important material for many Rotho products: durable, lightweight and hygienic. At the same time, conventional plastic is usually made from fossil raw materials.
That is why we are gradually increasing the use of alternative raw materials. One way of doing this is through ISCC PLUS-certified material using the mass balance approach.
What does that mean?
In plastic production, conventional and certified alternative raw materials can be processed together. The mass balance approach ensures that the amount of certified material entering the production system is documented and that only the corresponding amount can be allocated to certified products.
Important: This is a controlled accounting approach. It does not mean that the exact certified raw material can be physically traced into each individual product.
Raw materials
Conventional and certified alternative raw materials enter the same production system.
Production
The materials are processed together while the certified amount is documented.
Certified products
The corresponding certified amount can then be allocated to specific products.
Why use this approach?
It allows alternative raw materials to be introduced into existing production processes even where physical separation is not technically practical. Depending on the material, these raw materials can come from renewable sources or from plastic waste that cannot be recycled mechanically. The resulting plastic can meet the same demanding quality and performance requirements as conventional virgin material.
Why not simply use recycled plastic everywhere?
Where technically and legally possible, we already use physically recycled material.
However, some applications have particularly high requirements regarding quality, hygiene or food contact. Suitable recycled material is not yet available for every application in the required quality and with the necessary approvals.
Mass balance therefore complements direct recycling where other solutions are currently limited.
What does ISCC PLUS certify?
ISCC PLUS is an independent certification system for more sustainable supply chains.
It verifies, among other things, that certified raw materials are documented and traced through the supply chain according to defined rules.
For Rotho, this means we can support the use of alternative raw materials while maintaining the quality and functionality our products require.
One part of a broader strategy
ISCC PLUS-certified material is one element of Rotho’s broader sustainability approach.
Our focus also includes durable product design, efficient use of materials and the direct use of recycled plastic wherever technically and legally feasible.
Frequently asked questions
Is my product actually made from recycled or bio-based material?
Not necessarily in the physical sense.
With mass balance, certified and conventional raw materials are processed together. A corresponding certified quantity is then allocated to selected products according to the certification rules.
This is why we refer to ISCC PLUS-certified material based on the mass balance approach, rather than claiming that every individual product physically contains a defined percentage of recycled or bio-based raw material.
Is mass balance just a credit system?
It is an accounting system, but not an unrestricted one.
Certified producers must demonstrate that the corresponding quantity of alternative raw material has actually entered the production system. They cannot allocate more certified material than permitted under the certification rules.
Mass balance does not replace direct recycling. It is an additional way to increase demand for alternative raw materials and support their gradual scale-up.
Why do only selected Rotho products carry an ISCC PLUS claim?
We are introducing certified materials step by step.
Not every product, material or supply chain is currently suitable for this approach. In addition, certified alternative raw materials are currently more expensive than conventional virgin material.
Different products may therefore follow different sustainability approaches, such as direct use of recycled plastic, reduced material use or ISCC PLUS-certified raw materials.
