Plastic
Tags
Flexible Packaging (plastic)
Unlike rigid plastic packaging, flexible plastic packaging can be easily formed into a plug without much force. The material of the main component is usually thinner than 100 µm. This type of packagin ...
Additives
Plastics can contain additives: auxiliaries added to optimize material properties. They can aid production, processing or the properties of the plastic itself. Examples include anti-block, anti-conden ...
Washable or alkali-soluble adhesive (for use with plastic packaging)
Adhesive that is washable in water or dissolves in an alkaline bath. Labels with this adhesive can be removed in a washing process. There are cold- and warm-washable variants. Wash water is usually do ...
Bio-PE
Polyethylene made from renewable feedstocks, unlike PE made from fossil feedstocks (e.g., crude oil). It has the same chemical composition as fossil-based PE and can be processed, sorted and recycled ...
Bio-PET
Polyethylene terephthalate made from renewable feedstocks, unlike PET made from fossil feedstocks (e.g., crude oil). It has the same chemical composition as fossil-based PET and can be processed, sort ...
Bisphenol A (BPA)
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical substance that can be present in plastic products, such as building materials, electronics, plastic bottles, and toys. It is also used in packaging materials, such as h ...
Carbon black
Carbon black is a finely divided black pigment composed of elemental carbon. It is used as a deep black color or to increase the color intensity of a pigment mixture. It provides UV protection in appl ...
Cellophane
Cellophane is highly transparent, relatively stiff, and has been available for many years, though in limited quantities. It can be produced in bright colors and is widely recognized as a candy wrapper ...
Chemical recycling
Chemical recycling involves converting plastic back into its original building blocks through a chemical process, allowing new plastic to be produced from these materials. There are several methods of ...
Ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH)
A polymer used as an oxygen barrier layer, applied between other plastics.
Flakes
Flakes, shreds, pieces. In the context of plastic recycling, this term is used for coarsely ground plastic.
Fossil-based
Raw materials or packaging materials can be referred to as fossil-based if they are derived from fossil oils. Fossil oils are considered a finite resource.
In-Mould Label (IML)
A label that is applied in the mold and fuses with the packaging, usually used in injection molding, blow molding, or thermoforming of packaging.
Mixed stream (plastics recycling)
A sorted stream of mixed plastic packaging, offered by sorters to recyclers for recycling. Products made from this mixed stream include park benches, marker posts, crates, and pallets.
Mono stream (plastics recycling)
A sorted stream consisting of a single material type, offered by sorters to recyclers according to sorting specifications.
Oxo-degradable
Means that plastic breaks apart into tiny pieces upon exposure to soil, water and light. Special additives cause the plastic to fragment into microplastics. Such additives can be added to any plastic.
PE (polyethylene)
Polyethylene, a polyolefin consisting only of carbon and hydrogen.
PET (polyethylene terephthalate)
A polyester consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Widely used for rigid packaging such as bottles, jars and trays, and also in films made by blowing or casting. Pocketbook Packaging, p. 345.
PLA (polylactic acid)
Polylactic Acid (PLA) is a polymer made from lactic acid, which is produced by fermenting sugars or starches. These sugars are typically sourced from corn or sugar beets, making PLA a renewable materi ...
PMD (Plastic, Metal, Drink cartons)
A Dutch household collection stream for Plastic, Metal and Drink cartons. Other names include PBD, PD or “Plastic+”.
PP (polypropylene)
Polypropylene, a polyolefin consisting only of carbon and hydrogen.
EPP (Expanded polypropylene)
Expanded PP (EPP), used among other things as cushioning or insulation material. Pocketbook Packaging, p. 337.
Polystyrene
Polystyrene is a material made from the styrene monomer. It is a very clear, brittle material that is easy to thermoform.Common variants include:High-impact polystyrene (HIPS)Acrylonitrile butadiene s ...
Expanded polystyrene (EPS)
Also known as foam or Styrofoam. Used for many purposes, including cushioning and insulation (e.g., fish on ice in EPS boxes, or transporting organs in liquid nitrogen in shipping containers). Pocketb ...
PVC (polyvinyl chloride)
A polymer based on carbon, hydrogen, and chlorine.
PVdC (polyvinylidene chloride)
A polymer composed of carbon, hydrogen, and chlorine.
Silicone gel
A phase into which silicones or acrylates can transition under heat; may occur during recycling of regranulate.
Silicones
Polymer based on silicone. It is used, among other things, as a flexible seal in packaging, for example a valve in the cap of a squeeze bottle.Silicones are also used to apply flexible seals, for exam ...
Single-Use Plastics (SUP)
Plastic disposables such as cutlery, cups, stirrers, cotton swabs, balloons and balloon sticks, etc.
Sleeve (full-body sleeve)
Printed tubu film that is applied around a rigid packaging, either by stretching or shrinking. In the latter case, the film shrinks when heated and then takes the shape of the rigid packaging. The sle ...
Co-extrusion
Co-extrusion is a process in which multiple layers of material are produced simultaneously and combined into a single material during the extrusion process, in which the film takes the shape of a flat ...
DKR standard
Plastic packaging waste is sorted according to the DKR standards. These standards vary by type of plastic. For each type of plastic, one or more product specifications have been established. The mater ...
Good recyclable packaging
Packaging that has been assessed using the Recycle Check, and where all details of the packaging are optimally suited for recycling. This makes it "good recyclable" according to the definition of recy ...
Shredding
Chopping or grinding plastic into smaller pieces of material suitable for recycling.
Sink-float technique
Sorting technique that uses the difference in density of materials relative to the density of a liquid to separate them. Materials with a higher density than the liquid sink, while materials with a lo ...
Target material
The target material is the material that ultimately needs to be recycled into a new raw material. Usually, this is the most common material in the disposable unit, often the material of the main compo ...
Polymer
Polymer is a large molecule, synthetic or natural, characterized by the sequence of one or more types of monomer units which are covalently bound to each other. The specific composition of the monomer ...
Material layer
A material layer is a separate layer within a plastic package consisting of a single primary material or polymer. This layer:Usually has a thickness of more than 1 micrometer (1µm = 10⁻⁶ m).Is applied ...