Mobilizing Capital for Alternative Materials: Key Insights from the AMC Framework Launch

We are excited to introduce our first upstream framework designed to tackle the global plastic pollution crisis: the Alternative Material Certificate (AMC) Framework. This innovative financing mechanism is designed to lower the unit cost of alternative materials by closing the price gap with cheap fossil-based plastic.

Together, the AMC Framework and our Plastic Pollution Reduction Standard (PPRS) represent our comprehensive approach to tackling the plastic crisis upstream and downstream. As PCX Solutions Founder Nanette Medved-Po noted,

“We believe this reflects what PCX has always stood for: systemic impact, market-driven solutions, and multi-stakeholder collaboration.”

To mark this milestone, we officially launched the AMC Framework on July 9, 2026 at a global online event attended by over 150 participants from public, private, and civil society sectors around the world. The webinar offered a high-level introduction to the AMC Framework, followed by a panel discussion on the importance of alternative materials in addressing plastic pollution and the latest developments in the space.

A Market-Based Solution to Plastic Pollution

In her opening remarks, our Managing Director Stefanie Beitien explained that the PPRS looks at downstream waste management, and is now being complemented by the AMC Framework that addresses upstream plastic reduction.

“With the AMC framework, we are looking at the 17% of short-lived plastics which risk ending up as pollution in the environment and where a replacement is technically possible,” said Stefanie. “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. The AMC is exactly addressing this problem. It makes sustainable alternative materials commercially competitive and ready to scale.”

Our Standards and Technology Manager Ina Ballik, who leads the Framework’s development, provided a high-level walkthrough of the Framework. The AMC 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.

“Alternative material certificates enable beyond value chain contributions as a market-wide approach. By funding the displacement of fossil-based plastics with verified alternative materials, we can drive systemic decarbonization ahead of traditional supply chain shifts,” Ina explained.

Global Perspectives: Why the AMC Matters Now

Building on the reveal of our new Framework, our panel of industry experts contextualized the AMC within the global alternative materials landscape, discussing market challenges and financial gaps, and real-world implementation. 

The panel discussion began with a global outlook from Alba Canovas from the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB). Drawing on their work with the Plastic Reboot program, a Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded global project spanning 15 countries, Alba talked about the roadblocks faced by the alternative  materials industry.

“Alternative materials are promising and they are necessary in some applications, but they are still far from replacing fossil-based plastics at scale,” Alba noted. “That’s why we are here today. We need three things: stronger incentives, credible sustainability safeguards, and mechanisms that help close the cost gap. So I hope the AMC Framework achieves that.”

To emphasize the impact of the funding gap for alternative materials, Jason Graham-Nye of the Greater Good Diaper Project provided a real-world example using their initiative to replace fossil-based diapers in the Pacific Islands. Designing a fully circular, deliver-collect-compost model with a community-based approach, they faced high production and logistics costs.  

“From a price perspective, we price our nappies at the price of regular nappies in the country. In Tuvalu, it's 24 cents, but our costs are 50 cents. That's because we've taken out all the plastic and the compostable materials cost more. We also pay our team to deliver, collect, and compost because we want that material back because that's the whole magic of it all. The AMC methodology and standard eliminates that price delta so we can offer the product to parents here in Tuvalu and Samoa at no additional expense,” Jason said.

Finally, the conversation emphasized how financing mechanisms like the AMC must be built on trust and credibility. Manilyn Buan of Bureau Veritas, one of our partner validation and verification bodies (VVBs), highlighted why independent, third-party verification lies at the center of the AMC Framework.

“Alternative materials are new and face skepticism. An independent party will remove doubt about fairness and rigor, which is essential for the framework to succeed in the market,” Manilyn pointed out. ”It will also provide credibility so regulators and industry accept certifications more readily. This strengthens the framework’s reputation.” 

Collaborating for a Circular Future

Addressing the plastic crisis requires action at all parts of the plastic value chain. The AMC Framework marks an important addition to our set of solutions to actively preventing plastic pollution at the source. By correcting the market failure that enables fossil-based plastics, our AMC Framework helps open pathways for more sustainable alternative materials to scale.

• Revisit the conversation on alternative materials by watching the AMC Launch recording.

• Access the AMC Framework Website for more information about the Framework and partnership opportunities.

• Read the AMC press release to learn more about the story behind the AMC Framework.

To become a part of the AMC Ecosystem as a potential project partner, AMC buyer, or a Validation and Verification Body, or if you have questions about the Framework, please connect with us PCX Solutions at standards@pcxsolutions.org.