New Certificate Makes Fossil-Free Materials Competitive

With the certificate, PCX Solutions provides industries and brands with a market-based incentive to make the switch to 100% fossil-free materials, which is vital to addressing the ~17% of plastic in short-lived products that risk ending up as pollution.

Stefanie Beitien, Managing Director of PCX Solutions says, "At the core of the plastic crisis is a market failure, where fossil-based plastics are artificially cheap because their environmental costs are not priced in. By tackling this structural challenge during production, the AMC makes sustainable alternative materials commercially competitive and ready to scale.”

The certificate is backed by a standard and a data-driven methodology that calculates the real cost of switching to alternative materials by accounting for both the price difference between an alternative material and fossil-based plastic, and the cost of post-consumer recovery to enable full circularity.

PCX Solutions is working with The Greater Good Diaper Project on the first verified application of AMCs to replace fossil-based diapers in the Pacific Islands through their fully circular deliver-collect-compost model with a community-based approach. Diapers are a significant contributor to the plastic waste crisis, with 800 million discarded across the Pacific Islands every year.

Dr Jason Graham-Nye, Co-Founder of The Greater Good says, "Alternative Material Certificates reward the switch to alternative materials by making it financially viable and verifiable. As the first application of this instrument, The Greater Good Diaper Project can now offer a fully compostable diaper and service at the same price as a conventional plastic one.”

The AMC framework involves an ecosystem of buyers, sellers and verification bodies. PCX Solutions manages the standard and issues certificates that are third-party verified.

The AMC is the outcome of two years of development by PCX Solutions. The process incorporated extensive research and stakeholder consultations with think tanks, industry players, philanthropic organisations, and a public consultation held in May 2026. Following the launch, PCX Solutions is looking to bring more project partners and brands onboard and invites interested businesses or partners to find out more on the website at pcxsolutions.org/AMC.

 

• improving local plastic waste management systems through innovative funding mechanisms, capacity building, and standards;
• advocating for inclusive and sustainable policies that advance circularity, corporate plastic stewardship, and effective waste management, especially in developing countries; and
• delivering independent consulting services and grant-funded projects to scale environmentally-sound solutions that create environmental and socioeconomic benefits.