— By Plasteurope.com staff — 

European plastics recovery audit scheme RecyClass (Brussels; www.recyclass.eu) recently published the first set of its Recyclability Evaluation Protocols for Automotive and EEE Resin Validation. The new standard focuses on polymers that are commonly recovered and recycled in these industries, including polypropylene, mineral-filled PP, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polystyrene, polyethylene, and PC-ABS.

The protocol will allow companies producing resins to test compatibility with standard recycling conditions and determine if they can be used as control material for the Recyclability Evaluation Protocols for Single Components. It can also be used to evaluate compatibility with recycling processes of fillers, additives, coatings, superficial treatments, as well as adhesives of the above-mentioned recovered and recycled polymers. 

Related: RecyClass and APR see ‘significant progress’ in criteria for reclaim design

Recently, the European audit scheme also released significant updates for its Design for Recycling Guidelines and Recyclability Evaluation Protocols, including the standard for labels applied to PS containers, those for inks applied to PET bottle decorations, and for EPS fish boxes and white goods.

In the updated Design for Recycling Guidelines, closures made with up to 10 percentage by weight (wt%) of PP – used on HDPE containers – are now considered fully compatible. For PE films, EVOH is now deemed 100% compatible up to 5 wt%, provided it meets a specific EVOH/tie-layer ratio. Additionally, non-bleeding inks have been renamed as ‘retentive inks’ to reflect the most commonly used terminology.