A plastic scrap order is not finished when buyer and seller agree on a price; that is where the real work begins. Whether the cargo clears customs and environmental inspection smoothly on arrival depends on documents prepared correctly from day one. This article walks through the document flow Green Day Trade follows on every order, in the order our team works through it.
Why does the process need so many documents?
Commercially, plastic scrap is a raw material, but legally it is usually treated as waste. A shipment therefore moves not with a sales invoice alone but with a chain of documents showing what the material is, where it comes from, who receives it and where it will be recycled. A single gap or inconsistency in that chain can leave the cargo waiting at the port for days and trigger unexpected storage and detention charges.
The post-order document flow in 7 steps
1. Proforma invoice and 30% advance
Once buyer and seller agree, the seller sends the buyer a proforma invoice covering the product description, quantity, unit price, delivery terms and payment conditions. At this stage 30% of the total is requested as an advance.
2. Loading and the first document pack
After payment, the containers are loaded and the seller sends four documents:
- Loading photos: the empty container, the bales going in, the last view before the doors close and the seal number. They are the first evidence used in any quality claim.
- Annex documents: prepared separately for each container, describing the material, quantity, consignor, consignee and recovery facility.
- Final invoice: issued on the quantity actually loaded, with the proforma advance deducted.
- Packing list: container and seal numbers, number of bales, gross and net weights.
As soon as these reach us they are forwarded to the relevant customs office. Sharing early lets customs questions be resolved while the cargo is still at sea.
3. BL and COO drafts
Next come two drafts:
- BL draft (bill of lading): the draft of the bill the shipping line will issue, with shipper, consignee, notify party, ports of loading and discharge, container/seal numbers and the goods description.
- COO draft (certificate of origin): shows the origin of the goods. It is not required for every company or country; whether it is needed depends on the buyer's customs procedure.
4. Customs approval and the revision loop
The drafts are sent to customs for approval. When a detail needs changing (a typo in a company name, a weight difference, an incomplete goods description) the seller is asked to revise it. The loop continues until customs approves the final version. The more carefully this step is done, the fewer surprises on arrival.
5. Final payment: 10 days before ETA
The final payment is requested 10 days before the vessel's estimated time of arrival (ETA). Once paid, the payment confirmation (SWIFT) is sent to the seller, who then sends the originals of the approved BL and COO to us first, and we pass them to customs. The shipping line may also work with a telex release instead of original bills.
6. Arrival: telex release and environmental inspection
When the cargo arrives there are two critical gates:
- Without the telex release (final BL), no environmental inspection date can be booked. The inspection that applies to waste cargo can only be scheduled once the final bill or the telex release is in hand.
- After the environmental inspection, the buyer starts collecting the cargo. The containers then move from the port to the buyer's facility.
7. The Annex: stamp and signature
The Annexes sent at the very beginning are stamped and signed by the buyer once the containers are emptied, and returned to the seller. The signature confirms that the material reached the declared facility and entered recycling, closing the chain. With this step the order is complete.
Who sends what, and when?
| Step | Document / action | From | To | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proforma invoice, 30% advance | Seller / Buyer | Buyer / Seller | Right after agreement |
| 2 | Photos, Annex, final invoice, packing list | Seller | Green Day → customs | Loading day |
| 3–4 | BL and COO drafts, revisions | Seller | Green Day → customs | While at sea |
| 5 | Final payment and SWIFT copy | Buyer | Seller | 10 days before ETA |
| 5 | BL/COO originals or telex release | Seller | Green Day → customs | After SWIFT |
| 6 | Environmental inspection, collection | Customs / Buyer | — | On arrival |
| 7 | Stamped and signed Annexes | Buyer | Seller | When containers are emptied |
The most common delays and how to prevent them
- Drafts revised too late: ask for the BL draft as soon as the vessel sails; the revision loop should finish while the cargo is at sea.
- Final payment left to the last day: paying 10 days before ETA means the telex release is ready before arrival. Late payment delays the inspection booking and therefore delivery.
- Annex and invoice don't match: weights and goods descriptions must be identical across every document.
- Missing photos: a loading photo without a visible seal number carries little weight in a quality claim.
- ETA changes not tracked: transshipments can push the ETA; re-plan the final payment date against the current ETA.
What does Green Day Trade do in this process?
As the bridge between supplier and buyer, we collect and check the documents, share them with customs and follow the revision loop. For every loading we track which document has arrived and which is still pending, and for shipments approaching their ETA we send final payment and telex reminders on time.
