# Upstream Score

## **Incorporation of recycled raw materials (A)**

The integration of recycled raw materials makes it possible to avoid the extraction of virgin raw materials, giving a second life to the materials. From an environmental point of view, this is the most interesting option.

 

For each material, the average incorporation rate is used:

| **Materials**                           | **Incorporation rate** |
| --------------------------------------- | ---------------------- |
| Steel                                   | 51%                    |
| Aluminum                                | 44%                    |
| Glass                                   | 61%                    |
| Cardboard / paper                       | 66%                    |
| Plastic - Transparent PET bottle        | 25%                    |
| Plastic - Other                         | 0%                     |
| Other materials (wood, cork, wax, etc.) | 0%                     |

> Source : ADEME. (2017, may). National Recycling Report 2005-2014.

{% hint style="info" %}
When the information is available, the incorporation rate communicated by the brand can be used. For example, some water bottles are made from 100% recycled plastic, so this percentage will be used instead of the industry average (25%). (This is not available yet)
{% endhint %}

## **Renewable & sustainable raw material (B)**

For renewable materials, sustainability labels make it possible to guarantee a more respectful management of resources, for example by guaranteeing the reforestation of forests (FSC) or by reducing greenhouse gas emissions (BonSucro).

The labels taken into account are:

* <img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/twhvNVgGQ0XHrCbt1JmJ/blobs/BkWJBtssLXxrBhkVnZYl/CleanShot%202020-08-05%20at%2012.28.59@2x.png" alt="" data-size="line"> FSC : for packaging made from wood (paper, cardboard, kraft, etc.)
* <img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/twhvNVgGQ0XHrCbt1JmJ/blobs/OZHbi5jsCFtmGZxtJA9Z/CleanShot%202020-08-05%20at%2012.28.19@2x.png" alt="" data-size="line"> BonSucro : for plastic packaging made from sugar cane

## **Renewable raw material (C)**

The renewable materials used for food packaging are:

* Wood (cardboard, paper, kraft, wood)
* Biobased plastic, made from agricultural production, without fossil resources

## **Non-renewable raw material (D)**

The so-called "non-renewable" raw materials are those whose stocks take several million years to be reconstituted: they are therefore finite resources on a human scale.

In food, there are 5 non-renewable materials:

* Plastics (from petroleum)
* Metals (aluminum, steel)
* Glass (sand)
* Ceramics (clay)
* Wax (from petroleum)

## Score calculation

To calculate the upstream score, points are assigned according to the origin of the raw materials, from the most favorable option (recycled raw material) to the most unfavorable option (non-renewable raw material).

| **Raw material**          | **Ratio** |
| ------------------------- | --------- |
| Recycled                  | 1         |
| Renewable and sustainable | 0.75      |
| Renewable                 | 0.5       |
| Non-renewable             | 0         |

The upstream score corresponds to the sum of the points awarded. It is expressed out of 100.

$$
score = A*1+B*0.75+C*0.5+D*0
$$

> $$A$$ the % of incorporation of recycled raw materials\
> $$B$$ the % of renewable and sustainable raw material\
> $$C$$ the % of non-sustainable renewable raw material\
> $$D$$ the % of non-renewable raw material

{% hint style="warning" %}
The sum of the 4 possible origins (A, B, C, D) must always equal 100%.
{% endhint %}

## Synthesis by materials

In the Belgian version of the methodology, these upstream material scores were attributed to the different FostPlus\* material categories as such:

<table data-header-hidden><thead><tr><th width="251"></th><th width="137"></th><th width="127"></th><th></th><th width="118"></th><th width="112" align="right"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td>A (recycled raw materials)</td><td>B (renewable and sustainable raw material)</td><td>C (non-sustainable renewable raw material)</td><td>D (non-renewable raw material)</td><td align="right">Upstream</td></tr><tr><td>001 Glass</td><td>61</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>39</td><td align="right">61</td></tr><tr><td>002 Paper-cardboard (≥ 85%)</td><td>66</td><td>0</td><td>34</td><td>0</td><td align="right">83</td></tr><tr><td>002 Paper-cardboard (≥ 85%) - With FSC label</td><td>66</td><td>34</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td align="right">92</td></tr><tr><td>002 Paper-cardboard (≥ 85%) - 100% recycled material</td><td>100</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td align="right">100</td></tr><tr><td>003 Steel (≥ 50%)</td><td>51</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>49</td><td align="right">51</td></tr><tr><td>004 Aluminium (≥ 50% and ≥ 50μ)</td><td>44</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>56</td><td align="right">44</td></tr><tr><td>005-01 PET – Bottles and flasks - Transparent colourless</td><td>25</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>75</td><td align="right">25</td></tr><tr><td>005-01 Recycled 100% PET – Bottles and flasks - Transparent colourless </td><td>100</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td align="right">100</td></tr><tr><td>005-02 PET – Bottles and flasks - Transparent blue</td><td>25</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>75</td><td align="right">25</td></tr><tr><td>005-03/011-04 PET - Bottle/flask - Transparent - other than colorless/blue/green</td><td>25</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>75</td><td align="right">25</td></tr><tr><td>007/011-03 HDPE – Bottles, flasks and other rigid packaging</td><td>25</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>100</td><td align="right">25</td></tr><tr><td>008 Beverage cartons</td><td>0</td><td>46</td><td>29</td><td>25</td><td align="right">49</td></tr><tr><td>011-01 PP – Bottles, flasks and other rigid packaging</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td align="right">0</td></tr><tr><td>011-02 PS – Hard packaging, except for EPS                                                                                  </td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td align="right">0</td></tr><tr><td>011-05 PET – rigid packaging other than bottles and flasks - Transparent</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td align="right">0</td></tr><tr><td>011-07 PE – Films </td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td align="right">0</td></tr><tr><td>011-09 Other plastics – Films, except for compostable</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td align="right">0</td></tr><tr><td>011-06 PET – Bottles and flasks – Opaque </td><td>25</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>75</td><td align="right">25</td></tr><tr><td>011-08 Other plastics – Hard packaging, except for compostable plastics and EPS</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td align="right">0</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td align="right">0</td></tr><tr><td>Composite materials in which paper-cardboard accounts for the greatest weight</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td align="right"></td></tr><tr><td>013 Aluminium (&#x3C;50µ) non-composite</td><td>44</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td align="right">44</td></tr><tr><td>014 Other plastic packaging – whether or not composite – where plastic accounts for the greatest</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td align="right">0</td></tr><tr><td>weight, including compostable plastics and EPS</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td align="right"></td></tr><tr><td>016 Wood, cork, textile, …</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>100</td><td>0</td><td align="right">50</td></tr><tr><td>017 Composite packaging in which glass accounts for the greatest weight</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>100</td><td align="right">0</td></tr><tr><td>018 Composite packaging in which steel accounts for the greatest weight</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>100</td><td align="right">0</td></tr><tr><td>019 Pottery, ceramics, porcelain, …</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>100</td><td align="right">0</td></tr></tbody></table>

\*FostPlus is the Belgian EPR ( Extended producer responsibility) company dedicated to consumer packaging recycling and reporting. [See sources.](https://docs.score-environnemental.be/eng/methodology/produit/emballages/..#sources)