Recyclability Evaluation Service (RES)

Test and improve the recyclability of your packaging with a CEPI-aligned score and expert guidance.

What is RES?

DS Smith works with external businesses of all sizes to test and develop disruptive technologies and solutions across an international footprint.

DS Smith’s Recyclability Evaluation Service (RES) determines the recyclability of your fibre-based packaging in a European recycling mill with conventional process, using the industry standard CEPI Recyclability Test Methodology (V3) and 4evergreen Recyclability Evaluation Protocol.

Lab-based testing with RES allows you to evidence the recyclability of your packaging, helping to improve your packaging’s recyclability rating and decrease fees under PPWR and EPR legislations. 

RES is operated from our laboratory located within the DS Smith Kemsley Paper Mill - one of Europe’s largest recycled paper mills, with an annual production capacity of around 830,000 tonnes.

Test your packaging’s recyclability with DS Smith to access expert advice to improve your recyclability score, backed by large-scale, real-world recycling experience.

What happens to my fibre?

You send us a sample of any fibre-based product - from anywhere across Europe -  and we test it in our own laboratories.​ The tests evaluate the sample’s recyclability to determine how recyclable it could be in standard paper mills across Europe. 

Our approach is grounded in state-of-the-art methodologies, including the CEPI Harmonised Test Methodology and the 4evergreen Recyclability Evaluation Protocol. Together, these frameworks guide our evaluation of your packaging's recyclability and its compatibility with standard paper mill recycling processes.* After testing is complete, customers will receive a report and recyclability score ranging from -100 to +100.

*A standard paper mill is defined by the typical paper grades used as feedstock for production of new paper. For standard paper mills, these are EN643 grades 1-4, which represents the majority of paper and cardboard packaging placed on the market.

Where is the laboratory?

At the heart of the service is our state-of-the-art Repulpability Laboratory, located within the Kemsley Paper Mill in the UK. The laboratory, which opened in 2021, is used for researching technologies that enhance the performance and sustainability qualities of fibre-based packaging, including coatings and barrier technology, wet-end chemistries, surface chemistries, repulpability, and recyclability.

Here, our team conducts thorough testing of your fibre-based packaging to assess its recyclability. You will receive a detailed report summarising the findings, along with a recyclability score that highlights areas for improvement.

Why Should I Evaluate the Recyclability of my Material?

Avoid Unnecessary Fees

Under Extended Producer Responsibility legislations, difficult to recycle packaging will be charged increasingly higher fees. A recyclability evaluation can be used to evidence a packaging's recyclability and decrease unnecessary fees.

Ensure Compliance

PPWR regulation mandates that all packaging placed onto the EU market must be recyclable from 2030 and recycled at-scale by 2035. RES services can provide evidence of a packaging’s recyclability.

Validate Your Sustainability Claims

Substantiate your green claims with scientific, evidence-backed data and avoid any greenwashing accusations.

Access Recycling Expertise

Access expert advice backed by large-scale, in-practice recycling experience. DS Smith are well-placed to advise on design choices and considerations to ensure compatibility with the realities of recycling.