KPMG Auditores has recently obtained ENAC’s first accreditation for waste characterization, quality and stocks control of recovered material in the municipal solid waste field, particularly for household/light packaging waste.

A light packaging waste is any product that is used to contain, protect, handle, distribute and present goods and which additionally has a low ratio of weight to volume; such as plastic bottles and jars, cans, beverage cartons and so on. After use, these containers are deposited in the corresponding yellow containers and transported to selection facilities where they are separated, and the different fractions recovered. They are subsequently moved to other facilities where they are recycled according to the material they are made of.

KPMG has obtained accreditation for waste characterization activities which enables the different fractions making up household waste to be determined, i.e. identifying the typology to know the packaging components deposited in the containers. Subsequently, once the composition of municipal solid waste is identified, quality control of the recovered materials is carried out.

These activities enable higher quality recycling in terms of energy saving, emissions and raw materials with beneficial results: considerably less materials deposited in landfills and more efficient waste and environmental protection management.

According to Alfredo Cabañes, partner in KPMG, the company's objective for accreditation was to "obtain market confidence in terms of the services we provide, providing them with an independently-backed guarantee for our service quality, our professional expertise, as well as our independence and impartiality in providing and carrying out our work”.

Moreover, the accreditation process, he says: "has allowed us to review and reflect on both the internal and external processes and procedures during the conduct of our work which has helped us identify and make improvements”.

Regarding the guarantees accreditation provides for efficient waste control in the environment sector, Cabañes stresses: “the accredited activities must comply with a standard reviewed by an external body, ENAC, which inspects compliance and guarantees the service provided by our organization. The service quality can be measured by self-inspection and control plans which detect shortcomings or deficiencies, and in this case, implement effective action plans to solve any deviation”.

Addressing this accreditation, ENAC has used the Technical Note 71, published a few months ago (available on our website), that is applicable to inspection activities carried out according to specifications laid down by a specific customer.

This is KPMG's case, whose activity is accredited to offer competent services including recycling, sorting or selection plants, explains Alfredo Cabañes: “Potential clients of accredited services include selection, classification and municipal solid waste treatment plants, and the corresponding public or private reclaimers and recyclers of treated materials”.