SIST EN 18120-1:2026

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-junij-2026
Embalaža - Načrtovanje za recikliranje plastične embalaže - 1. del: Definicije in
načela za načrtovanje za recikliranje plastične embalaže
Packaging - Design for recycling of plastic packaging - Part 1: Definitions and principles
for design-for-recycling of plastic packaging
Verpackung - Recyclingorientierte Gestaltung von Kunststoffverpackungsprodukten - Teil
1: Definitionen und Grundsätze für die recyclingorientierte Gestaltung von
Kunststoffverpackungen
Emballages - Conception des emballages plastiques en vue de leur recyclage - Partie 1 :
Définitions et principes liés à la conception des emballages plastiques en vue de leur
recyclage
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 18120-1:2026
ICS:
13.030.50 Recikliranje Recycling
55.020 Pakiranje in distribucija blaga Packaging and distribution of
na splošno goods in general
83.080.20 Plastomeri Thermoplastic materials
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN 18120-1
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
April 2026
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 13.030.50; 55.020
English Version
Packaging - Design for recycling of plastic packaging - Part
1: Definitions and principles for design-for-recycling of
plastic packaging
Emballages - Conception des emballages plastiques en Verpackung - Recyclingorientierte Gestaltung von
vue de leur recyclage - Partie 1 : Définitions et Kunststoffverpackungsprodukten - Teil 1: Definitionen
principes liés à la conception des emballages plastiques und Grundsätze für die recyclingorientierte Gestaltung
en vue de leur recyclage von Kunststoffverpackungen
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 9 February 2026.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2026 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 18120-1:2026 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions . 7
4 Generic aspects for design compatibility with recycling . 28
5 General considerations for packaging description . 31
5.1 Integrated and separate components . 31
5.2 Determination of the predominant material . 31
5.3 Determination of the colour of a packaging main body or separate component . 31
5.4 Removed component and constituent . 31
5.5 Contaminant in recycled materials . 32
5.6 Calculation of constituent and component weight percentages . 32
6 Behaviour of packaging in separate collection and sorting centres . 32
6.1 General. 32
6.2 Packaging size . 32
6.3 Packaging decorations . 32
6.4 Determination of partial and full coverage . 33
7 Behaviour of packaging in recycling processes . 33
8 Creation and updating of guidelines . 33
8.1 General. 33
8.2 Mandatory content of recyclability evaluation process standards . 34
8.3 Updating of guidelines . 34
8.4 Verification of criteria . 34
Annex A (informative) Examples for packaging units, integrated components, separate
components, removed components and removed constituents . 35
Annex B (informative) Anticipated future developments for recycling of plastic packaging . 37
Annex C (informative) Anticipated future developments for chemical recycling . 38
Bibliography . 39

European foreword
This document (EN 18120-1:2026) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 261 “Packaging”,
the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by September 2026, and conflicting national standards shall
be withdrawn at the latest by September 2026.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document has been prepared under a standardization request addressed to CEN by the European
Commission. The Standing Committee of the EFTA States subsequently approves these requests for its
Member States.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards body.
A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North
Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the United
Kingdom.
Introduction
The EN 18120 series, under the general title Packaging — Design for recycling of plastic packaging, which
aims via a series of guidelines and protocols to establish consistency and improvement for the design for
recycling of household, industrial and commercial plastic packaging, consists of the following parts:
— Part 1: Definitions and principles for design-for-recycling of plastic packaging
— Part 3: Evaluation processes for the sortability of plastic packaging
— Part 4: Guideline for PET bottles
— Part 5: Guideline for PET rigid packaging (except bottles)
— Part 6: Guideline for PE and PP rigid packaging
— Part 7: Guideline for PE and PP flexible packaging
— Part 8: Guideline for PS and XPS rigid packaging
— Part 9: Guideline for EPS packaging
— Part 10: Recyclability evaluation process for plastic packaging — Protocols for PET bottles
— Part 11: Recyclability evaluation process for plastic packaging — Protocols for PET rigid packaging
(except bottles)
— Part 12: Recyclability evaluation process for plastic packaging — Protocols for PE and PP rigid
packaging
— Part 13: Recyclability evaluation process for plastic packaging — Protocols for PE and PP flexible
packaging
— Part 14: Recyclability evaluation process for plastic packaging — Protocols for PS and XPS rigid
packaging
— Part 15: Recyclability evaluation process for plastic packaging — Protocols for EPS packaging
Design for recycling guidelines are a common way of evaluating the compatibility with plastic-packaging
collection, sorting and recycling which enables the use of secondary raw materials that are of sufficient
quality when compared to the original material, in state-of-the-art facilities.
They provide guidance on the level of compatibility, defined as:
— green: packaging constituents and components with full compatibility with state-of-the-art
collection, sorting and recycling;
— yellow: packaging constituents and components with limited compatibility with state-of-the-art
collection, sorting and recycling;
— red: packaging constituents and components which are not compatible with state-of-the-art
collection, sorting and recycling.
The design for recycling guidelines provided in the EN 18120 series cover the design for recycling based
on the knowledge available at the time of the development of this document and are representative of the
state-of-the-art. They consider packaging waste collection, sorting and recycling, so that the recycled
plastic can substitute primary raw materials in packaging application or other applications. Compliance
with the design guidelines in the EN 18120 series does not guarantee that the recycled plastic quality will
be fit for purpose for a specific targeted end application or compliant with applicable regulations.
Packaging recyclability is the combination of design of recycling, proven collection, sorting and recycling
in practice.
1 Scope
This document provides a framework and principles for design for recycling documents for assessing the
identification of the level of compatibility of plastic-packaging feature with the applicable collection,
sorting and recycling processes, describing the level of compatibility.
This document covers any packaging predominantly made of plastic and separate components
predominantly made of plastic. It aims to provide a consistent approach for the guidelines and protocols
for each polymer and format.
2 Normative references
The following standards are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this standard. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced standard (including any amendments) applies.
EN 18120-3:2026, Packaging — Design for recycling of plastic packaging — Part 3: Sorting evaluation
process for plastic packaging
EN 18120-4, Packaging — Design for recycling of plastic packaging — Part 4: Guideline for PET bottles
EN 18120-5, Packaging — Design for recycling of plastic packaging — Part 5: Guideline for PET rigid
packaging (except bottles)
EN 18120-6, Packaging — Design for recycling of plastic packaging — Part 6: Guideline for PE and PP rigid
packaging
EN 18120-7, Packaging — Design for recycling of plastic packaging — Part 7: Guideline for PE and PP
flexible packaging
EN 18120-8, Packaging — Design for recycling of plastic packaging — Part 8: Guideline for PS and XPS
rigid packaging
EN 18120-9, Packaging — Design for recycling of plastic packaging — Part 9: Guideline for EPS packaging
EN 18120-10, Packaging — Design for recycling of plastic packaging — Part 10: Recyclability evaluation
process for plastic packaging — Protocols for PET bottles
EN 18120-11, Packaging — Design for recycling of plastic packaging — Part 11: Recyclability evaluation
process for plastic packaging — Protocols for PET rigid packaging (except bottles)
EN 18120-12, Packaging — Design for recycling of plastic packaging — Part 12: Recyclability evaluation
process for plastic packaging — Protocols for PE and PP rigid packaging
EN 18120-13, Packaging — Design for recycling of plastic packaging — Part 13: Recyclability evaluation
process for plastic packaging — Protocols for PE and PP flexible packaging
EN 18120-14, Packaging — Design for recycling of plastic packaging — Part 14: Recyclability evaluation
process for plastic packaging — Protocols for PS and XPS rigid packaging
EN 18120-15, Packaging — Design for recycling of plastic packaging — Part 15: Recyclability evaluation
process for plastic packaging — Protocols for EPS packaging
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp/
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
3.1
packaging
any item, irrespective of the materials from which it is made, that is intended to be used by an economic
operator for the containment, protection, handling, delivery or presentation of products to another
economic operator or to an end user, and that can be differentiated by packaging format based on its
function, material and design
[SOURCE: REGULATION (EU) 2025/40, modified to adapt from “an item” to “any item” and shortcut the
definition]
3.2
sales packaging
packaging conceived so as to constitute a sales unit consisting of products and packaging to the end user
at the point of sale
[SOURCE: REGULATION (EU) 2025/40]
3.3
grouped packaging
packaging conceived so as to constitute a grouping of a certain number of sales units at the point of sale
irrespective of whether that grouping of sales units is sold as such to the end user or whether it serves as
a means to facilitate the restocking of shelves at the point of sale or create a stock-keeping or distribution
unit, and which can be removed from the product without affecting its characteristics
[SOURCE: REGULATION (EU) 2025/40]
3.4
transport packaging
packaging conceived so as to facilitate handling and transport of one or more sales units or a grouping of
sales units, in order to prevent damage to the product from physical handling and transport, but which
excludes road, rail, ship and air containers
[SOURCE: REGULATION (EU) 2025/40]
3.5
packaging unit
unit of packaging
unit, including any integrated or separate components, that as a whole serves a packaging function, such
as the containment, protection, handling, delivery, storage, transport or presentation of products, and
includes independent units of grouped or transport packaging that are discarded prior to the point of sale
Note 1 to entry: When considered the combination of sales packaging, grouped packaging and transport packaging
used for the delivery, storage, supply and consumption of packed products, each one of these are to be understood
as forming, on their own and by themselves, a packaging unit. A packaging unit is not to be understood as a
combination of sales packaging, grouped packaging and transport packaging.
[SOURCE: REGULATION (EU) 2025/40, modified – Note 1 added]
3.6
rigid packaging
packaging whose shape remains essentially unchanged after the contents are added or removed
Note 1 to entry: Collective description for packaging types are assigned to the so-called “rigid fractions” in the waste
classification, for example bottles, cups, trays, tubes, tins, buckets, canisters, pots, jars, jerrycans, drums, in bulk
containers (IBCs) and boxes.
[SOURCE: ISO 21067-1:2016, 2.2.20, modified – ‘Note 1 to entry added]
3.7
flexible packaging
packaging whose shape is likely to change after the contents are added or removed
Note 1 to entry: Collective description for packaging types that are assigned to the so-called ‘flexible fractions” in
the waste classification, for example bags, pouches, envelopes, sachets, removable lidding/liners, wraps and similar
flexible packaging items.
Note 2 to entry: Flexible packaging structures can be single or multi-layered using a variety of materials, e.g. plastic
film, non woven, paper, aluminium foil or any combination of these. The construction can be plain, printed, coated
and/or laminated.
Note 3 to entry: Flexible packaging structures are generally used to package and protect consumer and other
products. These can include Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) products such as confectionery, snack foods,
frozen foods, produce, bakery, meat, dairy, pet foods, processed food, cosmetics, personal care, household
detergents, beverage bottle/can wrapping, pharmaceuticals, medical and other technical products such as utensils
and tools which might not be included in the definition of FMCG.
[SOURCE: ISO 21067-1:2016, 2.2.20, modified – ‘Notes to entry added]
3.8
composite packaging
unit of packaging made of two or more different materials which are part of the weight of the main
packaging material and cannot be separated manually and therefore form a single integral unit, unless
one of the materials constitutes an insignificant part of the packaging unit and in any event no more than
5 % of the total mass of the packaging unit and excluding labels, varnishes, paints, inks, adhesives and
lacquers
[SOURCE: REGULATION (EU) 2025/40]
3.9
packaging component
part of packaging that can be separated by hand or by using simple physical means
[SOURCE: ISO 21067-2:2015, definition 2.1.1]
3.10
main body of the packaging unit
packaging part of the packaging unit with the highest share, by weight, except closure on flexible
packaging
3.11
integrated component
packaging component, whether or not of the same material as, or distinct from, the main body of the
packaging unit, that is integral to the packaging unit and its functioning, that does not need to be
separated from the main body of the packaging unit in order to ensure the functionality of the packaging
unit and that is typically discarded at the same time as the main body of the packaging unit, although not
necessarily via the same disposal route
[SOURCE: REGULATION (EU) 2025/40]
3.12
separate component
packaging component, whether or not from the same material as the main body of the packaging unit,
that is distinct from the main body of the packaging unit, that needs to be disassembled completely and
permanently from the main body of the packaging unit and that is typically discarded prior to and
separately from the main body of the packaging unit, including packaging components that can be
separated from each other simply through mechanical stress during transportation and sorting
[SOURCE: REGULATION (EU) 2025/40]
3.13
predominant material
material (whether a specific polymer type, paper, metal, glass or other) with the highest share, by mass,
in the main body or a separate component
3.14
packaging constituent
part from which packaging or its components are made and which cannot be separated by hand or by
using simple physical means
[SOURCE: ISO 21067-2:2015, definition 2.1.2]
3.15
recyclability
compatibility of packaging with the management and processing of waste by design, based on separate
collection, sorting in separate streams, recycling at scale and the use of recycled materials to replace
primary raw materials
[SOURCE: REGULATION (EU) 2025/40]
3.16
compatibility
degree to which a material or component or constituent can be processed without negatively impacting
the quality, the process or the yield of the process.
3.17
design for recycling
design of packaging, including individual components of packaging, that ensures the recyclability of the
packaging with established collection, sorting and recycling processes proven in an operational
environment
[SOURCE: REGULATION (EU) 2025/40]
3.18
technically recyclable
packaging design for material recycling, described in the green and the yellow columns, state-of-the-art
collection, sorting and recycling
3.19
green category
category for identifying components or constituents of a plastic package that is in the scope of the design
for recycling guidelines of a given packaging type and are recognized as compatible with state-of-the-art
collection, sorting and recycling processes or are demonstrated as suitable for recycling through technical
evaluation and can fully meet the quality requirements of secondary raw material in the recycling process
3.20
yellow category
category for identifying components or constituents of a plastic package that is in the scope of the design
for recycling guidelines of a given packaging type and are recognized as acceptable with limited
compatibility with state-of-the-art collection, sorting and recycling processes, or are demonstrated as
having limited compatibility through technical evaluation or will not meet all the quality requirements
for secondary raw material in the recycling process
3.21
red category
category for identifying components or constituents of a plastic package that is in the scope of the design
for recycling guidelines of a given packaging type and generally leads to rejection of the packaging item
in state-of-the-art sorting or recycling processes or are generally recognized as detrimental (disrupting)
for recycling or are demonstrated as disrupting for recycling through technical evaluation or are
demonstrated as unacceptably downgrading the yield or the quality of plastic secondary raw materials
3.22
state-of-the-art
generally recognized good practice in the European market
Note 1 to entry: Preferably technology openly available for the market.
Note 2 to entry: State-of-the-art fulfilling the following non-exhaustive criteria, proven and commercially available,
technology at TRL9, delivering sufficient results in terms of yield and quality, already in use in the European market,
affordable to relevant economic operators in the EU.
3.23
material recycling
any recovery operation by which waste materials are reprocessed into materials or substances, whether
for the original or other purposes, with the exception of biological treatment of waste, reprocessing of
organic material, energy recovery and reprocessing into materials that are to be used as fuels or for
backfilling operations
[SOURCE: REGULATION (EU) 2025/40]
3.24
mechanical recycling
processing of waste into secondary raw materials or products without significantly changing the chemical
structure of the material, excluding energy recovery and the production of materials that are to be used
as fuels or for backfilling operations
3.25
plastic waste physical recycling
process in which a plastic is subjected to a series of purification steps to separate the valuable
polymer/polymers from other polymers, additives and other added materials (examples: fibres, fillers,
colorants and contaminants), resulting in recovered polymers, which remain largely chemically
unaffected by the process and can be reformulated into plastic products
Note 1 to entry: Reference is made to EN 17615:2022 for further terminology related to recycling technologies.
[SOURCE: EN 17615:2022, definition 3.183, modified – Note added]
3.26
chemical recycling
conversion of polymers into chemical substances by deliberately changing the chemical structure of
plastic waste through processes such as cracking, pyrolysis, gasification or depolymerization excluding
energy recovery and the production of materials that are to be used as fuels or for backfilling operations
Note 1 to entry: “Chemical substances” can be understood to include the chemical building blocks of new polymers.
Note 2 to entry: Reference is made to ISO 15270:2008 for further terminology related to recycling technologies.
[SOURCE: EN 17615:2022, definition 3.183, modified – Note added]
3.27
household packaging waste
packaging waste generated by citizens, who are acting for purposes which are outside of their trade,
business of profession and accepted in the packaging waste collection managed by municipalities
3.28
bottle
container with a narrow neck, typically with a closure mechanism
3.29
sleeve
sign carrier made from flexible material, not fixed to a packaging component but held in place by a tight
fit
Note 1 to entry: The purpose of a sleeve is to convey the necessary information (text or graphics) to the user.
3.30
tamper -evident package
package having an indicator or barrier to entry which, if damaged, breached or missing, can reasonably
be expected to provide evidence to practitioners or users that the package might have been opened
[SOURCE: ISO 18369-1:2017]
3.31
label
sign carrier made from flexible material, fixed to a packaging component
Note 1 to entry: The purpose of a label is to convey the necessary information (text or graphics) to the user.
3.32
liner
internal layer of a packaging or a component
3.33
seal
component used to prevent leakage and/or the entry of contaminants
[SOURCE: based on ISO 5598:2020]
3.34
valve
component that controls the direction, pressure or flow rate of a fluid or gas
[SOURCE: based on ISO 5598:2020]
3.35
closure
cap or securing device of metal, plastic or a combination of materials designed to fit an appropriate
container providing a secure seal against environmental challenges
[SOURCE: ISO 8318:2000]
3.36
spout
rigid component from which liquids can be dispensed
3.37
tap
small-diameter, manually operated valve with a free outlet, from which a liquid can be dispensed
3.38
polymer
large molecule, synthetic or natural, characterized by the sequence of one or more types of monomer
units which are covalently bound to each other
[SOURCE: EN 17615:2022, definition 3.190]
3.39
monomer
substance which is capable of forming covalent bonds with a sequence of additional like or unlike
molecules under the conditions of the relevant polymer-forming reaction used for the particular process”
[SOURCE: Regulation (EC) 1907/2006]
3.40
plastic
material consisting of a polymer within the meaning of Article 3, point (5), of Regulation (EC) No
1907/2006, to which additives or other substances may have been added, and which is capable of
functioning as a main structural component of packaging, with the exception of natural polymers that
have not been chemically modified
[SOURCE: REGULATION (EU) 2025/40]
3.41
comonomer
polymerizable monomer aside from the principal monomer being polymerized into or grafted onto the
polymer chain of the principal monomer
3.42
secondary raw materials
materials that have undergone all necessary checking and sorting and been obtained through recycling
processes and can substitute primary raw materials
[SOURCE: REGULATION (EU) 2025/40]
3.43
polyolefin
polymer derived from polymerisation of alkenes like ethylene, propylene, 1-butene or isobutene and
which can contain polar (e.g. MAH, vinylacetate, ethylacrylate, butylacrylate, methylacrylate, acrylic acid
and ionomers thereof, methacrylic acid and ionomeres thereof (Zn, Na, K) or non polar comonomers (e.g.
C4, C6, C8, 4MP1, propylene) comonomers
3.44
polyethylene
PE
thermoplastic polymer principally composed of CH2– repeating units with a density of typically from
3 3
0,85 grams/cm to 0,97 grams/cm .
Note 1 to entry: PE materials can include additional polymers such as polyethylene copolymers.
Note 2 to entry: Additives often play a critical role as they can deliver improved performance including features
such as enhanced thermal stability, easier processing, slip, antiblock properties, UV protection or simply change in
density. Additives can be added during manufacturing of the polymer (typically antioxidants, polymer processing
aids, antiblock and/or slip) and during downstream converting. Some additives added during further processing
steps have a profound effect on the density of the material such as inorganic fillers or foaming agents.
Note 3 to entry: Foaming (both chemical and physical) can decrease the density of a PE component compared to the
intrinsic density value of the polymer itself.
Note 4 to entry: Melting temperatures of PE typically range from 55 °C to 135 °C.
Note 5 to entry: Thermoplastic polyolefins are polyethylene highly modified with other comonomers such as,
respectively for example but not limited to, ethylene, butene, and hexene, or propylene, butene, and hexene, with a
3 3
density ranging from 0,85 g/cm to 0,9 g/cm .
3.45
low-density polyethylene
PE-LD
LDPE
polyethylene which is highly branched (short and long chains) and has a density of typically from
3 3
0,910 grams/cm to 0,940 grams/cm
Note 1 to entry: Melting temperatures of LDPE typically range from 105 °C to 125 °C.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 472:2013 and EN ISO 472:2013/A1:2018, definition 2.1371, modified -- upper density
limit changed compared to the definition in the source; note 1 added; ‘typically’ added; LDPE added]
3.46
very low-density polyethylene
VLDPE
polyethylene which is highly branched and has a density of typically from 0,850 grams/cm to
0,910 grams/cm .
Note 1 to entry: Melting temperatures of VLDPE typically range from 55 °C to 120 °C.
Note 2 to entry: VLDPE exists with and without long-chain branches.
3.47
high-density polyethylene
PE-HD
HDPE
polyethylene, containing very few short-chain branches (< 4 per 1 000 carbon atoms), having a density
3 3
of typically 0,940 grams/cm to 0,970 grams/cm .
Note 1 to entry: Melting temperatures of HDPE typically range from 120 °C to 135 °C.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 472:2013 and EN ISO 472:2013/A1:2018, definition 2.1370, modified – 0,970 upper
limit added; note added; HDPE added]
3.48
linear low-density polyethylene
PE-LLD
LLDPE
polyethylene containing insignificant amounts of long-chain branching (when compared to low-density
polyethylene) but which can, by design, contain significant amounts of short-chain branching and
3 3
normally has a density of typically from 0,900 grams/cm to 0,940 grams/cm .
Note 1 to entry: LLDPE is commonly made by copolymerization of ethylene with longer-chain alpha-olefins (like
butene C4, hexene C6 or octene C8).
Note 2 to entry: Melting temperatures of LLDPE typically range from 90 °C to 130 °C.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 472:2013 and EN ISO 472:2013/A1:2018, definition 2.1372, modified -- density limits
changed; Notes added; LLDPE added]
3.49
polyethylene copolymer
thermoplastic polymer in which the ethylene repeating units are partially replaced by or combined with
one or several comonomers
Note 1 to entry: Comonomers can be non-polar, like alpha olefins and norbornene or polar, like vinyl acetate,
alkylacrylates or carboxylic acids (MAH, and methacrylic acid, acrylic acid and their ionomers) They can be
copolymerised in a reactor or they can be grafted.
Note 2 to entry: In the case that several comonomers are used, the copolymers are also called terpolymers or
quarterpolymers.
Note 3 to entry: Polyethylene copolymers include ethylene-based polyolefin plastomers (POP) and certain polymers
belonging to the group of polyolefin elastomers (POE).
3.50
ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer
EVA
thermoplastic polymer principally composed of ethylene and vinyl acetate repeating units
3.51
ethylene methyl acrylate copolymer
EMA
thermoplastic polymer principally composed of ethylene and methyl acrylate repeating units
3.52
ethylene ethyl acrylate copolymer
EEA
thermoplastic polymer principally composed of ethylene and ethyl acrylate repeating units
3.53
ethylene butyl acrylate copolymer
EBA
thermoplastic polymer principally composed of ethylene and butyl acrylate repeating units
3.54
ethylene acrylic acid copolymer
EAA
thermoplastic polymer principally composed of repeating units of ethylene and acrylic acid
3.55
ethylene methacrylic acid copolymer
EMAA
thermoplastic polymer principally composed of repeating units of ethylene and methacrylic acid
3.56
ethylene acrylic acid ionomers
thermoplastic polymer principally composed of repeating units of ethylene and the Na, Zn, or other metal
salts of acrylic acid’
3.57
ethylene methacrylic acid ionomers
thermoplastic polymer principally composed of repeating units of ethylene and the Na, Zn, or other metal
salts of methacrylic acid
3.58
ethylene maleic anhydride copolymer
thermoplastic polymer principally composed of ethylene repeating units with copolymerised or grafted
maleic anhydride structures
3.59
polypropylene
PP
thermoplastic polymer principally composed of CH2–CH(CH3)– repeating units with a density of typically
3 3
from 0,895 grams/cm to 0,910 grams/cm .
Note 1 to entry: PP-based materials can include additional polymers such as polypropylene copolymers.
Note 2 to entry: Additives and fillers which are added to polypropylene can increase the density of a PP component
over the intrinsic density value of the polymer itself. Foaming (both chemical and physical) can decrease the density
of a PP component compared to the intrinsic density value of the polymer itself.
Note 3 to entry: Melting temperatures of PP typically range from 110 °C to 167 °C.
Note 4 to entry: Each repeating unit in PP can assume one of two possible orientations with regard to its CH3
sidechain. Within a given polymer chain, these orientations can be random (atactic polymer), all the same (isotactic
polymer) or alternating in regular patterns (syndiotactic polymer).
Note 5 to entry: Thermoplastic polyolefins are polypropylene highly modified with other comonomers such as,
respectively for example but not limited to, ethylene, butene, and hexene, or propylene, butene, and hexene, with a
3 3
density ranging from 0,87 g/cm to 0,9 g/cm .
3.60
polypropylene homopolymer
thermoplastic polymer composed almost exclusively of CH2–CH(CH3)– repeating units
Note 1 to entry: Melting temperatures of PP homopolymers typically range from 150 °C to 167 °C.
3.61
polypropylene copolymer
thermoplastic polymer in which the propylene repeating units are partially replaced by or combined with
one or several comonomers
Note 1 to entry: Comonomers can be non-polar, like alpha olefins or dienes or polar, like vinyl acetate, alkylacrylates
or carboxylic acids (MAH, methacrylic acid, acrylic acid, and their ionomers) They can be copolymerised in a reactor,
or they can be grafted.
Note 2 to entry: In the case that several comonomers are used, the copolymers are also called terpolymers or
quarterpolymers.
3.62
polybutene-1
PB-1
thermoplastic polymer principally composed of 1-butene repeating units with a density of typically from
3 3
0,860 grams/cm to 0,910 grams/cm
Note 1 to entry: Melting temperature of PB-1 typically range from 40 °C to 128 °C.
3.63
polybutene-1 homopolymer
thermoplastic polymer composed of 1-butene repeating units
3.64
polybutene-1 copolymer
thermoplastic polymer in which the 1-butene repeating units are partially replaced by one or several
alfaolefin comonomers
3.65
polypropylene (random) copolymer
thermoplastic polymer in which the propylene repeating units are partially replaced randomly by
ethylene and/or another α-olefin
Note 1 to entry: Melting temperatures of PP random copolymers typically range from 110 °C to 160 °C.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 472:2013 and EN ISO 472:2013/A1:2018, definition 2.1380, modified – ‘(random)’
added; original note deleted, note added; structure of, repeating unit converted to text]
3.66
polypropylene heterophasic copolymer
thermoplastic polymer principally composed of propylene repeating units with embedded sections
(phases) of an elastomeric polymer
Note 1 to entry: Melting temperatures of PP block copolymers typically range from 110 °C to 167 °C.
Note 2 to entry: Also referred to as polypropylene block copolymer or impact copolymer.
3.67
ethylene vinyl alcohol
EVOH
copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol
Note 1 to entry: EVOH offers barrier to gases, such as oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen and has very high
resistance to hydrocarbons and organic solvents. It is typically co-extruded but can also be a laminated barrier layer
or a coating.
3.68
polyvinyl alcohol
PVOH
thermoplastic polymer principally composed of CH2CH(OH)– repeating units
Note 1 to entry: PVOH is sometimes modified to reduce sensitivity to moisture.
3.69
cycloolefin copolymer
polymer of a cycloolefin (or cycloolefins) and other monomers
Note 1 to entry: Examples of cycloolefin monomers are norbornene or tetracyclododecene.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 472:2013 and EN ISO 472:2013/A1:2018, definition 2.1752, note added]
3.70
polyolefin elastomer
group of elastomers comprising propylene-based elastomers (PBE) and ethylene-based elastomers
(EBE); Polyolefine Elastomers are Linear Low Density Polyethylenes with a content of alphaolefin
3 3
comonomers (C4,C6,C8), that lead to a density range from 0,85 grams/cm to 0,885 grams/cm .
3.71
ethylene based elastomer
EBE
copolymer of ethylene with a high alpha-olefin content and made (mostly) with a single-site catalyst
which results in a homogeneous composition and a density typically below 0,910 grams/cm .
Note 1 to entry: Some ethylene-based elastomers can be used as compatibilizers or tie resins. They may also be
grafted with maleic anhydride.
Note 2 to entry: EBE above a density of 0,885 grams/cm may also at times be referred to as polyolefin plastomers
(POP).
3.72
propylene-ethylene elastomer
thermoplastic polymer in which the propylene repeating units are partially replaced by ethylene in a
random manner. Such propylene-ethylene elastomers feature very low crystallinity and heat of fusion of
less than 75 J/g
Note 1 to entry: Peak melting temperatures of propylene-ethylene elastomers typically range from 40 °C to 150 °C.
Note 2 to entry: Some propylene-ethylene elastomers can be used as compatibilizers or tie resins. They may also be
grafted with maleic anhydride.
3.73
polyolefin plastomer
POP
copolymer of ethylene with a high alpha-olefin content and made (mostly) with a single-site catalyst
which results in a homogeneous composition and a density typically from 0,885 grams/cm to
0,910 grams/cm .
Note 1 to entry: Some ethylene-based elastomers can be used as compatibilizers or tie resins. They may also be
grafted with maleic anhydride.
Note 2 to entry: EBE above a density of 0,885 grams/cm may also at times be referred to as polyolefin plastomers
(POP).
3.74
acrylic resin
synthetic resin resulting from the polymerization or copolymerization of acrylic and/or methacrylic
monomers, frequently together with other monomers
[SOURCE: EN ISO 4618:2023, definition 3.5]
3.75
poly(ethylene terephthalate)
PET
semi-crystalline Polyester made from Purified Terephthalic acid (PTA) or Di-Methil Terephthalate (DMT)
and Mono-Ethylene Glycol (MEG) together with other comonomers, either from the acid or glycol, were
PTA/DMT and MEG together account for at least 80 % of the mass of monomer reacted to form the
polymer
Note 1 to entry: When applying a DSC (ISO 11357-3), the second trace should present a peak for crystallization and
a peak for melting.
3.76
glycol modified poly(ethylene terephthalate)
PETG
polymer made by the polycondensation of ethylene glycol and >20 % of cyclohexanedimethanol or >20 %
neopentylglycol and terephthalic acid or dimethyl terephthalate
3.77
glycol modified poly(cyclohexanedimethanol terephthalate)
PCTG
polymer made by the polycondensation of cyclohexanedimethanol and terephthalic acid or dimethyl
terephthalate and ethylene glycol
3.78
crystallizable PET (cPET)
film resin type with low glycol modification, typically neopentyl glycol or cyclohexanedimethanol (below
20 %) in PET
Note 1 to entry: This definition shall not be used for simply highly crystallized PET called CPET.
3.79
polystyrene
PS
thermoplastic polymer produced by the polymerization of styrene
[SOURCE: EN 923:2015, definition 2.3.28]
3.80
XPS (extruded polystyrene)
foamed plastic material obtained from the extrusion of PS mixed with a nucleating agent and an
expanding agent
Note 1 to entry: It can have an entirely closed cell structure, or a composite structure with closed cells externally
and open cells internally, depending on the process parameters used.
3 3
Note 2 to entry: In packaging, it typically has a density from 0,03 grams/cm to 0,07 grams/cm (XPS trays that can
absorb liquids) to 0,12 grams/cm (XPS trays with controlled atmosphere and exudate retention).
3.81
styrene-butadiene-styrene
SBS
block copolymer consisting of three segments: two being polystyrene (PS) end blocks and one being
central polybutadiene (PB) block
3.82
high impact polystyrene
HIPS
two-phase polymer consisting of a polystyrene (PS) matrix with dispersed polybutadiene (PB) rubber
particles
Note 1 to entry: The polybutadiene particles are typically grafted with polystyrene, creating a structure where the
rubber particles are embedded withi
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