Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

We herewith inform you about the latest updates and developments in the ISCC System.
Please share this information with all relevant members of staff.

1. Clarification: Trader Scope

ISCC has received inquiries on the question when a system user, e.g. a certified First Gathering Point or a Processing Unit, must additionally be certified under the scope “Trader”. ISCC herewith clarifies that the scope “Trader” has to be applied for all trades that are not specific for the main scope of the audit:

Examples:

• First Gathering Point (FGP):
  Scope specific: Biomass received directly from farms or plantations (with a self-declaration or from certified farms or plantations). Certification as FGP. Not scope specific: A certified FGP buys or receives sustainable material from certified suppliers, other than farms or plantations. The FGP must be additionally certified as a trader
• Collecting Point (CP):
  Scope specific: Waste or residues collected or received directly from points of origin (with a self-declaration or from certified points of origin). Certification as Collecting Point.
  Not scope specific: A certified CP buys or receives sustainable material from certified suppliers, other than points of origin. The CP must be certified additionally as a trader.
• Processing Unit:
  Scope specific: Sustainable material that is processed in the Processing Unit and sold/dispatched to recipients. Certification as Processing Unit.
  Not scope specific: A Processing Unit receives or buys sustainable material that is sold or dispatched without being processed at the Processing Unit. The Processing Unit must be additionally certified as a trader.

Please be aware, that valid certificates shall be updated according to this clarification during the next recertification process, i.e. no immediate adjustment of currently valid certificates is required by ISCC.

2. Fake Certificates and Forbidden Use of the ISCC Logo or Seal

We herewith point out that ISCC, at irregular intervals, receives reports about fake ISCC certificates or other documents fraudulently declared as “ISCC”. Usually, fake certificates are manipulated copies of ISCC certificates to display e.g. the name of another company than displayed on the original certificate. Forged or fraudulent documents include, for instance, delivery documents or self-declarations that illicitly contain the ISCC logo or ISCC seal to appear trustworthy.

Recipients of ISCC sustainable material are obliged to verify that the supplier of sustainable material holds a valid certificate at the time of dispatch of the delivery from the supplier (date when the delivery leaves the certified supplier). All ISCC certificates are published on the ISCC website after being internally reviewed by ISCC. If a certificate is not (yet) published on the website, ISCC has to be contacted to verify if the certificate is genuine or fake.

Please note that the ISCC logo can only be used upon written approval by ISCC. The ISCC logo consists of a magnifying glass with a stylized globe or a leaf in its lens, and the initials ISCC. The application of the ISCC seal (round “stamp”), as provided on ISCC certificates, is exclusively reserved for ISCC certificates. The use of the ISCC seal by any other party for any other application is not allowed.

If fake certificates or fraudulent documents come to your attention, we kindly ask all you to inform ISCC immediately. ISCC will then take appropriate actions, including legal actions, against the parties responsible for faking certificates, forging documents or illicitly using the ISCC logo or ISCC seal. ISCC publishes information about fake certificates that have been brought to ISCC’s attention on the ISCC website.

3. False Declaration of UCO

ISCC has received reports about alleged re-labelling of waste and residues to be declared as used cooking oil (UCO). We herewith point out that UCO is oil that has been used to cook food for human consumption (please also see ISCC list of materials). UCO is usually generated at restaurants, canteens, or similar points of origin where food is cooked. Other types of waste or residues, e.g. food waste, cannot be declared as UCO as they are different materials.

The certified collecting point is responsible for the correct declaration of the waste or residue and for keeping feedstock-specific mass balances. All materials that are collected as sustainable must be included on the annex to the collecting point’s ISCC certificate. This means, a collecting point that collects UCO and food waste as sustainable under ISCC must keep separate mass balances for both materials and both materials will be stated on the annex to the certificate. If different sustainable materials are received, it is not allowed to keep one mass balance for UCO only and sell all outgoing material (e.g. UCO and food waste) entirely as UCO. Such practice is a fraudulent re-declaration and a very serious infringement of ISCC requirements. If such practices are revealed, this will lead to the consequences specified in the ISCC Terms of Use, including the immediate withdrawal of the certificate and a suspension from recertification of up to 60 months.

4. Approach to Include Waste and Residue-based Biofuels from Producers Certified under Schemes other than ISCC in the ISCC Supply Chain

The acceptance of particular materials from other certification schemes may impose a significant risk to the integrity and credibility of ISCC and to the claims made under ISCC. An increased risk applies, for example, to waste and residues that are or may be eligible for additional incentives (such as double counting) in individual EU Member States. The certification of such materials is covered under the ISCC EU waste and residues certification process.

To ensure the integrity of claims made under the ISCC EU waste and residues certification process ISCC only accepts deliveries from other certification schemes upon a positive benchmark (see the ISCC website for a list of currently accepted schemes).

Nonetheless, ISCC aims to minimise obstacles for the trade of sustainable materials. Therefore, ISCC has developed an approach for biofuel producers that receive ISCC certified waste or residues but are not ISCC EU certified but certified under another recognized voluntary certification scheme. Currently, those biofuel producers would not be able to supply sustainable waste or residue-based biofuels to ISCC certified recipients. Under specific circumstances and supply chain set ups, the approach would allow those biofuel producers to supply waste/residues based biofuels as sustainable to ISCC certified recipients. One condition is, that the biofuel producer can ensure that the feedstock used is ISCC compliant, i.e. the upstream supply chain, including the collecting point, is ISCC certified. Biofuel producers have to apply to ISCC to implement this approach. Each case will be handled individually (case-by-case decision), and written confirmation from ISCC is required.

For more information please click here.

5. Waste and Residues and ISCC List of Materials

Based on recent inquiries submitted to ISCC, we herewith point out the follwoing:

• If any kind of material is not on the ISCC list of materials, ISCC can be contacted to initiate the process to include further materials on the list.
• Waste or residue materials can be added, if the material is recognised as a waste or residue in at least one EU Member State, and respective evidence is provided to ISCC.
• ISCC does not necessarily require a positive list for waste or residues from EU Member States.
• ISCC certification under the waste and residue certification process is independent of whether the material is regarded as a waste or residue in individual EU Member States.
• ISCC cannot guarantee and is not responsible for the eligibility of waste or residues to be counted twice in individual EU Member States.

Please be aware, that further information and a detailed overview on the waste and residue certification process is available in the ISCC Document 201-1 available on the ISCC website