Why the project page matters
A plastic credit is only as good as the project behind it. Most registries and providers publish a project page, and that page is where a buyer can check whether a credit is what the seller says it is. A strong page lets an outsider follow the logic from a kilogram of waste on the ground to a retired record in a registry. A weak page asks the reader to trust a summary. This guide sets out the seven things to look for, in the order they are usually easiest to check.
1. The standard and methodology
The page should name the standard the project follows and the methodology within it. Verra projects, for example, refer to the Plastic Waste Reduction Standard, and our article on the VMR0006 methodology explains one such document in detail. If the page only says the project is certified, without naming a document, you cannot check the rules it is held to. Our guide to comparing plastic credit standards helps you judge how the rules differ.
2. The baseline
Every credit rests on a counterfactual: what would have happened to the plastic without the project. The page should describe how that baseline was set for the project area, including the fate of waste in the catchment before the project began. Vague statements such as plastic that would have ended up in the ocean are not a baseline. Look for a description of the local waste system and how the project measured it. The article on mismanaged plastic waste baselines covers why this step carries so much weight.
3. The additionality argument
Additionality asks whether the recovery would have happened anyway. A project page should explain what the credit revenue pays for and why that activity would not continue without it. If the project was already profitable from selling recovered material, the case needs more explanation, not less. Our article on additionality and baselines sets out the tests.
4. The activity and the material
Check what the project does and which material it handles. Collection, sorting, recycling and chemical processing are different activities and carry different questions. A page should say where the waste comes from, who collects it and where it goes next. If the material leaves the project area, the page should say where. Our article on reversal risk after collection explains why the downstream record matters.
5. Verification
Look for the name of the independent body that verified the quantities, the period covered and the date of the statement. Ask whether the verification covered the weights only or also the chain of custody. A verification period that ended long ago, or a statement the page does not link to, is a reason to ask questions. Our explainer on how verification works describes what auditors check.
6. Registry serial numbers and status
Credits should have serial numbers in a public registry, and the registry should show how many have been issued, how many are still available and how many have been retired. This is the part of the page that stops one kilogram being sold twice. If a seller cannot give you serial numbers before purchase, treat that as a warning. After purchase, the retirement record is your proof of claim, as described in our registry guide to retiring credits.
7. Social and environmental safeguards
Many projects work with informal collectors. A good page says how collectors are engaged, whether payment terms are described and how the project handles safety. Co-benefits are worth noting, but they should not be used to cover gaps in the earlier points. Our article on co-benefits and the SDGs explains how to read them.
A quick scoring approach
You do not need a formal model. For each of the seven points, note whether the page gives a clear answer, a partial answer or none. A page with several missing answers is not necessarily a bad project, but it is a project you cannot yet assess. The longer list in our project due diligence checklist turns these questions into requests you can send to a seller.
Frequently asked questions
Is a project page enough to buy on?
It is the first filter. If the page answers the seven points, ask the seller for the underlying documents. If it does not, ask the seller to fill the gaps before you commit.
What if the registry and the seller disagree?
Treat the registry record as the reference and ask the seller to explain the difference in writing.
Should small buyers do this too?
Yes. The checks take the same effort whatever the size of the purchase, and our guide for small businesses covers buying at a smaller scale.
The takeaway
A project page that names the methodology, explains the baseline and additionality, identifies the activity, links the verification statement, lists serial numbers and describes safeguards gives a buyer something to check. Read those seven fields before you buy, and keep the page and registry record with your claim.
About the author
Plastic Units editorial team
Editorial team
The Plastic Units editorial team writes and maintains the Knowledge Bank and news on the plastic credits market, recycling economics and plastic policy.