Polymer Identification Symbols For Packaging

Polymer Identification Symbols For Packaging
✎
The legislation
The European Directive 94/62/EC on
packaging and packaging waste sets
out targets for the recovery of used
packaging. Article 8 of this Directive,
‘Marking and Identification’ states:
“ to facilitate collection, reuse and
recovery including recycling, packaging
shall indicate for purposes of its
identification and classification by the
industry concerned the nature of the
packaging material(s) used”
The subsequent Commission Decision
97/129/EC provides numeric and
abbreviation identifications for
packaging materials. In Article 3, the
Decision states that “their use shall be
voluntary”.
APME fully supports the use of marking
where the marking will effectively help in
the recovery of used packaging.
There are two key points:
☞
☞
The application of the marking
shall be voluntary
The symbol is a means of
material identification and is not a
claim for recyclability
✎
What symbol
Industry and consumers have become
aware of the key symbols used for
identifying the various materials used for
packaging and any action for
identification should build on this
established awareness.
Packaging and packed products are
traded on an international basis and any
symbol should have a wide as possible
recognition.
The American Society of the Plastics
Industry (SPI) introduced a symbol and
numbering system in 1988 (the Resin
Identification Code – RIC) specifically
for rigid plastic packaging over 200cc, or
50gm. The symbol and numbering code
have become mandatory in a majority of
USA states and widely adopted in
Australia, Canada, Japan as well as in
Europe. It is important to build on this
awareness.
The APME position is that when
marking for the identification of the
plastic material is beneficial, the SPI
symbol should be used.
The detailed examples of the symbol,
numbering and acronyms are shown on
the reverse of this document. The size
and location of such marking should be
compatible with the objective of the
intended identification. Additional
polymer coding can only be adopted by
international agreement.
✎
Why Use It
As a voluntary action and when the
symbol and material code are assessed
to effectively support the recovery of
used packaging by identification of the
plastic at any stage of the operations
from sorting through to recycling.
✎
Where to use it
On any plastic packaging.
It should not be used for non-packaging
plastic parts, such as automotive or
electrical/electronic equipment. For
such components, the ISO 11469 and
ISO 1043 should be used. (Copies
obtainable through National Standards
Bodies). These identifications should
never be used in conjunction with the
SPI code.

Polymer Type
CEN
Recommendation
CEN WI 261 070
EU Commission
Decision
97/129/EC
APME Position
Polyethylene
Terephthalate
01
PET
1
PET
1
PET
High Density
Polyethylene
02
PE-HD
2
HDPE
2
HDPE
Polyvinyl Chloride
03
PVC
3
PVC
3
PVC
Low density
Polyethylene
04
PE-LD
4
LDPE
4
LDPE
Polypropylene
05
PP
5
PP
5
PP
Polystyrene
06
PS
6
PS
6
PS
Unallocated
references
07-20
7-19
7-19
ASSOCIATION OF PLASTICS MANUFACTURERS IN EUROPE (APME)
APME’S TECHNICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CENTRE
Avenue E. Van Nieuwenhuyse 4 Box 3 B-1160 Brussels
Telephone (32-2) 676 17 50 Facsimile (32-2) 675 40 02 E-mail info.apme@apme.org Web site http://www.apme.org
October 2001