Greenwashing is a deceptive marketing practice where brands exaggerate or misrepresent their environmental efforts to appear more sustainable and eco-conscious than they actually are. In today’s world, where environmental awareness is at an all-time high, it is critical for brands to avoid falling into the greenwashing trap because doing so not only undermines the genuine efforts of businesses committed to sustainability but also risks reputational damage, loss of consumer trust, and potential legal repercussions, ultimately harming the brand’s long-term viability and reputation.
Impact Solutions, a pioneering material testing laboratory and innovation centre, proudly announces its groundbreaking efforts to combat greenwashing claims by placing a strong emphasis on biodegradability testing and recycled plastic assessment as a core solution. With unwavering dedication to transparency, accountability, and sustainable innovative practices, Impact Solutions is at the forefront of promoting verification. Working with clients and partners to deliver accurate data, they empower informed decisions for companies seeking sustainability ventures.
Impact Solutions key services that support with greenwashing prevention:
Biodegradability Testing Expertise: Impact Solutions is at the forefront of biodegradability testing, offering clients state-of-the-art assessments that provide precise and comprehensive insights into the environmental impact of materials and products. Through rigorous scientific analysis, our advanced biodegradability testing ensures that sustainability claims are grounded in accurate data. Impact Solutions are the UK’s first UKAS accredited laboratory capable of performing a series of key biodegradability testing such as compostability, ecotoxicity, disintegration and material characterisation.
Recycled Plastic Assessments: Recognizing the critical role of recycled plastics in the circular economy, Impact Solutions offers comprehensive recycled plastic testing services. Our cutting-edge assessments empower businesses to verify the authenticity and quality of their recycled content, supporting sustainable material choices and practices. For example, Impact Solutions worked with BSI to develop a Flex Standard (BS Flex 6228) to determine whether a PET product has >30% recyclate in it. The Flex Standard does not replace supply chain auditing, rather it offers a screening method to test whether the properties of a sample are consistent with its claimed level of recyclate.
Innovation Partnerships: Impact Solutions actively seeks partnerships with organizations and businesses that share our dedication to sustainability and material innovation. These collaborative efforts leverage our expertise in testing and drive innovation in sustainable materials, fostering environmentally responsible solutions for the future. Their Innovations team have a strong focus on sustainable innovation, developing technologies and work collaboratively with start-ups, SMEs, multinationals as well as R&D focused companies who are looking to develop their ideas from concept through to commercialisation.
These key services showcase Impact Solutions’ leadership in advanced material testing and additionally, their commitment to driving sustainable material innovation through collaboration with like-minded organizations and businesses.
Commercial Director of Impact Solutions, Steven Burns, emphasises Impact Solutions dedication to these services, stating, ” With the ever-increasing consumer pressure to show that your brand is “green”, it has never been more important to protect your reputation by ensuring the claims you are making actually reflect the reality of your product. I’ve lost count of the number of packaging containers which claim to be both recyclable and biodegradable, when the reality is they will never be collected in their end of life to realise either of those claims.”
For more information about Impact Solutions and its efforts towards greenwashing prevention through biodegradability, recycled plastic testing or innovative R&D work, please visit www.impact-solutions.co.uk or contact us by email info@impact-solutions.co.uk or by phone +44 (0) 1324 489 182.
Alternatively visit our exhibition at this year’s Interplas, 26-28 September 2023 at NEC, Birmingham, in Hall 4 stand B41.
