All about ASI Claims and Mass Balance
ASI Claims and Chain of Custody
Chain of Custody is a system designed to support traceability of materials or products as they moved through the supply chain. This helps to support and verify claims about the products or their properties. In our case, claims about ASI Aluminium refer to the ASI-certified sources.
The ASI Mass Balance model
ASI’s Chain of Custody model is a mass balance approach.
Under a Mass Balance System, the key internal controls involve:
- Determining which Inflows and/or Outflows are eligible as CoC Material
- Performing the relevant accounting and reconciliation over the defined period, to determine Inputs of CoC Material and how these can be allocated to Outputs
- Collecting and passing on relevant data for CoC Documents and related claims.
The ASI Mass Balance model allows the mixing of eligible Inputs of CoC Material (sourced from ASI certified Facilities) and Non-CoC Material inflows (sourced from Facilities that are not ASI certified) at any stage in the supply chain over a defined period.
This means that an ASI Chain of Custody Certified company (known as an Entity) can receive varying quantities of all CoC Material types over time. Quantities of material sold as CoC Outputs are then allocated proportionately to the mass of CoC Inputs, so there is no guarantee that a ‘certified product’ actually contains CoC Material at an atomic level.
Let’s imagine an ASI Entity and consider their CoC Inputs (purchases) and CoC Outputs (sales) over one year, which is the required accounting and reporting period. Their quantities of CoC Outputs (of ASI Material or Eligible Scrap) are determined by their CoC Input Percentage.
If, within one year, 50% of their total material was sourced from ASI certified Facilities (50% of CoC Input), then up to 50% of their total Output (and scrap, if applicable) can be designated and claimed as 100 % CoC Material. This percentage-based approach accounts for material losses during processing. Certified Entities use a ‘Material Accounting System’ according to the ASI Chain of Custody Standard to internally manage the mass balance model.
During an Audit, the Auditor verifies that the Entity has systems in place that conform to the ASI Chain of Custody Standard to source and/or supply CoC Material and/or Eligible Scrap and ensure that the Material Accounting System is implemented and functioning.
As a result, a claim about sourcing or volumes of ASI material must refer to the equivalent Output quantity or volume of ASI Aluminium sourced or produced by the Entity.
An example of a volume claim:
Aluminium Enterprises sourced 50,000 tonnes of ASI Aluminium in 2024. ASI Aluminium is sourced through a Mass Balance System, which ensures that an equivalent amount of aluminium was produced by Entities certified against the ASI Performance Standard. Visit https://claims.aluminium-stewardship.org
The ASI Responsible Sourcing logo
ASI Performance and Chain of Custody Certified Entities and their direct customers can make on-product claims for Aluminium or Aluminium containing Products.
The use of the ASI Responsible Aluminium Sourcing logo on product indicates that an equivalent amount of ASI aluminium was produced and sourced by ASI certified Entities. This works much like buying renewable energy credits. You might not be buying green energy directly, but your purchase supports the generation of an equal amount of green energy.
The ASI Responsible Sourcing logo on a product provides assurance of responsible production, sourcing and stewardship of aluminium.
Note: ASI does not charge Members additional fees for using ASI logos or making ASI claims
ASI Members pay an annual membership fee to ASI to support the organisation’s work program. ASI does not charge Members additional fees to use or obtain approval for using the ASI logos or making ASI claims. The ASI Board reserves the right to review and amend fee structures in future.
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