OUR STANDARDS

The standard aligns with national priorities and supports the delivery of Australia's waste, recycling and circular economy targets, including those outlined in the National Waste Policy Action Plan. These targets include reducing waste generation, increasing resource recovery rates, expanding the use of recycled content and improving data quality across the sector. 

Australia's recycling industry plays a vital role in the economy, contributing nearly $19 billion in economic activity and supporting around 95,000 jobs. It operates across households, businesses, manufacturing and construction, transforming materials that would otherwise be discarded into valuable inputs for new products and infrastructure. 

Recycling facilities sit at a critical point in this system. They do more than divert waste from landfill — they transform recovered materials into valuable resources that can be reintroduced into the economy. This standard recognises that role and supports a shift in how recycled materials are understood: not as waste, but as resources. 

Applicable to recycling facilities of all types, the standard provides a certification pathway for individual sites while allowing organisations to certify multiple facilities where applicable. 

Achieving GECA certification demonstrates to customers, governments, investors, employees and the broader community that a facility operates to a high standard, complies with relevant laws and regulations, and is genuinely transforming waste and recovered materials into recycled materials and products that meet market specifications and have commercial value. 

Certification provides independent assurance that a facility is delivering genuine recycling outcomes, supporting the circular economy and achieving positive environmental outcomes for people and the planet.