What is Operation Clean Sweep?

Operation Clean Sweep (OCS) is an international plastic pellet loss management programme, running since 1991 and coordinated in Europe by Plastics Europe and the European Plastics Converters (EuPC). Originally voluntary — since 2025 its standards have been incorporated into EU law (Regulation 2025/2365) as a requirement for operators handling more than 1,500 tonnes of pellets per year.

How does OCS Europe differ from the original OCS?

OCS Europe is a certification scheme launched in 2025 — extended with PPLP-compliant requirements. It includes an operational audit, a risk management plan, an incident reporting system, and verification by an independent third party (e.g. DNV, DQS, TÜV). The original OCS was a pledge of commitment without an external audit — since 2025 that level is no longer sufficient for operators covered by the PPLP.

Who does OCS certification apply to?

The certification obligation applies directly to any operator (producer, distributor, recycler, haulier) handling more than 1,500 tonnes of pellets per year. Smaller operators may certify voluntarily. Indirectly — larger companies in the supply chain are starting to require OCS from their subcontractors and hauliers, regardless of the threshold.

How does the OCS certification process work?

Three stages: (1) implementing a risk management plan in line with the PPLP and OCS Europe guidelines — typically 3–6 months; (2) an internal audit and a pre-audit by a consultant; (3) a certification audit by an accredited organisation (DNV, DQS, TÜV, Bureau Veritas, etc.). After a positive audit, the certificate is valid for 3 years with annual surveillance audits.

What does the auditor check during certification?

The auditor verifies: the written risk management plan, operational procedures (loading, transport, unloading, warehousing), spill containment equipment (scoops, bags, separators), staff training (records, attendance, content), supplier control (e.g. a big-bag manufacturer meeting the standards), the incident reporting system, and documentation of every pellet handling cycle.

Is ISO 9001 enough instead of OCS?

No. ISO 9001 is a quality management system — it covers operational procedures in general but contains no specific requirements for preventing pellet loss. ISO 9001:2015 is, however, an excellent base for implementing OCS — most ISO-certified companies achieve OCS within 6–9 months. Without an ISO baseline — 9–12 months.

Is PHS Magnum OCS certified?

PHS Magnum holds ISO 9001:2015 certification (DEKRA) and is implementing procedure extensions in line with OCS Europe and the PPLP. The pellet volume transported by our fleet (26 DAF tractor units, 31 silo trailers) exceeds 1,500 tonnes/year — we are among the operators covered by full OCS certification. Certification status is available to counterparties on request.

regulacje transport 05.02.2026 PHS Magnum

Operation Clean Sweep OCS — Haulier Certification

Name: PHS Magnum
Address: ul. Kościelna 9, Chorula, Opolskie, 47-316, PL
Telephone: +48 602 716 551
Price range: $$

Plastic pellet transloading — OCS-compliant procedures, PHS Magnum Chorula

In short

Operation Clean Sweep (OCS) Europe is a certification scheme launched by Plastics Europe and EuPC in 2025 — the plastics industry’s response to Regulation (EU) 2025/2365 (PPLP). The certificate is mandatory for operators handling more than 1,500 tonnes of plastic pellets per year. Audits are conducted by independent organisations (DNV, DQS, TÜV, Bureau Veritas). Implementation: 6–12 months from decision to certificate. Cost: the audit fee typical of ISO-type certifications plus investment in procedure implementation (depending on the starting baseline).

The origins of OCS

Operation Clean Sweep was founded in 1991 in the USA as an initiative of the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC). The goal: zero pellets in the environment. For 30 years the programme functioned as a voluntary commitment by producers, recyclers, and hauliers in the plastics industry.

In Europe the programme is coordinated by Plastics Europe (representing resin producers) and the European Plastics Converters (EuPC). Until 2024, participation meant signing a pledge of commitment and conducting an internal self-assessment.

In 2025, in response to the approaching Regulation (EU) 2025/2365, Plastics Europe and EuPC launched a formal certification scheme — OCS Europe — involving independent auditing organisations. This standard was adopted by the European Commission as an element of PPLP implementation.

What the OCS Europe standard contains

The full certification package covers four pillars:

1. Risk Management Plan (RMP)

Mapping of all pellet handling points in the organisation
Identification of leakage risk points (pneumatic ports, manholes, pipe connections, during loading/unloading)
Operational procedures for each point
An RMP review cycle (usually annual)

2. Operational procedures

Loading a silo trailer / wagon / container / big-bags
Transport (securing, en-route checks)
Unloading
Warehousing
Clean-up after a spill

3. Equipment and infrastructure

Cleaning points at loading zones
On-board equipment on the silo trailer (scoops, bags, brushes)
Water separators in warehouse zones
Wind protection

4. Staff and training

A training record for every employee handling pellets
Training content: hazards, procedures, reporting
A refresher training cycle (typically annual)
An onboarding procedure for new employees

How certification proceeds — step by step

Stage 0 (decision, 1 month): gap assessment against OCS Europe, management decision, choice of a consultant or in-house implementation.

Stage 1 (implementation, 3–6 months): writing the risk management plan and operational procedures, purchasing missing equipment, staff training, documentation.

Stage 2 (internal audit, 1 month): checking the implementation in-house, corrections.

Stage 3 (pre-audit, optional, 1 month): a trial auditor identifies gaps before the actual audit.

Stage 4 (certification audit, 3–5 days): the chosen auditor (DNV, DQS, TÜV, Bureau Veritas) visits the sites, interviews staff, verifies documentation. Result: a report with any non-conformities.

Stage 5 (closing non-conformities, 0–3 months): the company remedies the findings, the auditor confirms, and issues a certificate valid for 3 years.

Stage 6 (surveillance audits, annually): shorter audits (1–2 days) confirming the system is maintained. At certificate renewal after 3 years — a full audit as in Stage 4.

Implementation and certification cost

The certification audit fee falls within the range typical for ISO audits — the first audit costs more, surveillance audits less; ask the certification bodies for a quote. The main cost is the implementation:

External consultant (optional): one-off
On-board equipment (scoops, collection bags for the fleet): per number of vehicles
Cleaning points in loading zones: per site area
Staff training: per headcount
Implementation team working time: 3–6 person-months

For a company with an ISO 9001:2015 baseline (i.e. an existing quality management system), OCS implementation is evolutionary — mostly extending procedures with pellet-specific requirements. Companies without ISO start with a longer implementation cycle.

What OCS delivers in practice — beyond legal compliance

An edge in tenders. Larger petrochemical plants (e.g. PCC, Anwil, Synthos) and Western European chemical companies (BASF, INEOS, LyondellBasell) have started requiring OCS from their hauliers and recyclers. No certificate = no tender invitation.

Lower incident risk. Implemented procedures reduce leakage by an order of magnitude (source: OCS pilot reports). This cuts material losses (the pellets themselves have value), clean-up costs, and exposure to administrative fines (up to 4% of annual revenue in the EU once the PPLP is fully in force).

Cross-acceptance. The OCS Europe certificate is recognised by other industry schemes (Responsible Care, ISCC, RecyClass) — minimising the number of separate audits.

What PHS Magnum can offer pellet shippers

For shippers of PE/PP/PET pellets looking for a haulier ready for the PPLP era:

Compliance baseline of ISO 9001:2015 (DEKRA, certificate current)
Implemented silo trailer cleanliness procedures (inspection after every cycle, no switching pellets → lime/cement)
On-board equipment (scoops, collection bags) on every silo trailer
Driver training in PPLP procedures
Documentation of every loading–transport–unloading cycle
OCS Europe implementation in progress (external audit stage)

Quotes for cooperation with shippers of >1,500 tonnes/year portfolios — contact: biuro@magnumchorula.pl or +48 602 716 551.

About the author

This content was prepared by the PHS Magnum team in cooperation with Aleksy Pasternak — Managing Partner of the company and a bulk material transport expert with 35 years of experience in trading plastic pellets, recyclates, and industrial minerals in the EU. Aleksy publishes industry analyses on the expert portal pasternak.me, covering regulatory topics (PPLP, PPWR, OCS), technical topics (silo trailers, TDT), and operations (big-bag transloading, contract packing).