Novelties in terms of Standardization for thermoformed PET packaging

Standardization is an activity through which manufacturers, consumers, users, and public administration establish a voluntary agreement that is embodied in a technical document, or standard, which defines the technical characteristics that a product, service, material, or system must meet. The goal is to ensure its security, fitness for function, or compatibility with other products, services, or systems. In this way, standardization has become a fundamental competitive intelligence tool for the access of products and services of companies to European and international markets.

It is important to distinguish that, while legislation is a mandatory regulation established by public bodies, standards are documents of voluntary application, the result of consensus and approved by recognized standardization bodies and can only become legally binding if they are legislated accordingly or they are referred to as mandatory in the current legal provisions.

Standards are drawn up in Technical Standardization Committees (TSC) made up of a president and a series of members/experts that constitute a balanced representation of the entire value chain of the standardized product or service. For this reason, the Ecosense Foundation has become a member of the TSC 53, which will allow it to actively participate in the following European standardization working groups that will lead to the review and development of new standards that will affect thermoformed PET packaging. Specifically:

• CEN/TC 261/SC 4/WG 10 in which the revision of works related to the minimum content of recycled plastic that packaging must have, or the development of new projects related to the design of packaging with recycled plastic or the evaluation of the recyclability process for plastic packaging.

Within this WG 10 it is noteworthy that Subgroup 4 on “PET other rigid packaging” will be dedicated to the development of new technical documents and standards relating to the definition of the Recyclability Guidelines for thermoformed PET packaging, as well as the Protocol for the evaluation of its recyclability.

• CEN/TC 249/WG 11 in which the standards that have to do with the characterization and specifications of recycled material and some products are drawn up.

Within this WG 11 it is important to highlight the following Work Items (WI) and Standards that are under discussion for review:

• WI 00249A5U Plastics – Quality grades for sorted plastics wastes – Part 4: Poly(ethylene terephtalate) (PET)
• prEN 15348 rev Plastics – Recycled plastics – Characterization of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) recyclates.
• WI 00249A3E Plastics — Quality recommendations and basis for specifications for application of plastic recyclates in products — Part 4: Poly(ethylene terephtalate) (PET)
• Preparation revision of EN 15343:2007 Plastics – Recycled Plastics – Plastics recycling traceability and assessment of conformity and recycled content.

References:

“Standardization as a tool to open markets, comply with legislation and move towards the circular economy”. 04/29/2021. 29/04/2021. ANAIP.