kSIST FprEN 18120-6:2025

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
oSIST prEN 18120-6:2024
01-oktober-2024
Embalaža - Načrtovanje, ki omogoča recikliranje plastične embalaže - 6. del:
Smernica za togo plastično embalažo iz polietilena (PE) in polipropilena (PP)
Packaging - Design for recycling for plastic packaging - Part 6: Guideline for PE and PP
rigid packaging
Verpackung - Recyclingorientierte Gestaltung von Kunststoffverpackungsprodukten - Teil
6: Leitfaden und Protokolle für starre Verpackungen aus PE und PP
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 18120-6
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
oSIST prEN 18120-6:2024 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

oSIST prEN 18120-6:2024
oSIST prEN 18120-6:2024
DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
prEN 18120-6
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
September 2024
ICS 55.020; 13.030.50; 83.080.20
English Version
Packaging - Design for recycling for plastic packaging -
Part 6: Guideline for PE and PP rigid packaging
Verpackung - Recyclingorientierte Gestaltung von
Kunststoffverpackungsprodukten - Teil 6: Leitfaden
und Protokolle für starre Verpackungen aus PE und PP
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 261.
If this draft becomes a European Standard, 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.

This draft European Standard was established by CEN 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.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.

Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2024 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 18120-6:2024 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

oSIST prEN 18120-6:2024
prEN 18120-6:2024 (E)
Contents Page
European foreword 3
Introduction 4
1 Scope 6
2 Normative references 6
3 Terms and definitions 6
4 Compatibility of PE and PP-based rigid packaging designs with recycling 6
4.1 General 6
4.2 Sortability and residual content after emptying 7
4.3 Copolymers of PE and PP 7
4.4 Packaging format specific design guidance 7
4.4.1 General 7
4.4.2 White packaging 8
4.5 Design guidelines summary table 8
Annex A (informative) PE and PP rigid packaging functionalities 21
Bibliography 22
oSIST prEN 18120-6:2024
prEN 18120-6:2024 (E)
European foreword
This document (prEN 18120-6:2024) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 261
“Packaging”, the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
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.
oSIST prEN 18120-6:2024
prEN 18120-6:2024 (E)
Introduction
EN 18120 consisting of 15 parts 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.
— Part 1: Definitions and principles for design-for-recycling of plastic packaging
— Part 2: Process and governance to evaluate the recyclability of plastic packaging
— Part 3: Sortability evaluation process for plastic packaging
— Part 4: Guideline for PET bottles
— Part 5: Guideline for PET rigid packaging (except bottle)
— Part 6: Guideline for PE and PP rigid packaging
— Part 7: Guideline and protocols for PE and PP flexible packaging
— Part 8: Guideline for PS and XPS 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 other rigid
packaging
— 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 packaging
— Part 15: Recyclability evaluation process for plastic packaging — Protocols for EPS packaging
Design for recycling guidelines are a common way of describing compatibility with plastic packaging
collection, sorting and recycling into high quality recycled plastic into state-of-the-art facilities. They
provide guidance on the level compatibility, defined as:
— green: Packaging constituents with full compatibility with recycling;
— yellow: Packaging constituents with limited compatibility with recycling;
— red: Packaging constituents which are not compatible with recycling.
Recyclability guidelines will require regular review and improvement to reflect innovations in design,
collection, sorting and recycling.
The design for recycling guidelines provided in this series of standards are representative of the state of
the art in Europe and cover all steps from design for recycling, packaging waste collection, sorting,
recycling into recycled plastic and to use in a new application.
oSIST prEN 18120-6:2024
prEN 18120-6:2024 (E)
Packaging recyclability is the combination of five parameters: packaging designed for recycling,
packaging waste collection, sorting when necessary, recycling and use of recycled plastic in a new
application. This series of standards covers one parameter: the design for recycling.

oSIST prEN 18120-6:2024
prEN 18120-6:2024 (E)
1 Scope
This document covers the design of PE and PP rigid packaging with respect to compatibility of the design
with the collecting, sorting, and recycling processes.
Packaging constituents and packaging components made of other materials than PE and PP are also
covered by this standard as they need to be evaluated on compatibility with polymer recycling.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way their content constitutes requirements
of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest
edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
prEN 18120-1, Packaging — Design for recycling of plastic packaging — Part 1: Definitions and principles
for design-for-recycling of plastic packaging
prEN 18120-3, Packaging — Design for recycling of plastic packaging — Part 3: Sortability evaluation
process for plastic packaging
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in prEN 18120-1 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/
4 Compatibility of PE and PP-based rigid packaging designs with recycling
4.1 General
To determine the recyclability of the design of a PE or PP rigid packaging, the following guidance tables
shall be consulted in conjunction with the definitions provided in prEN 18120-1, Packaging — Design for
recycling of plastic packaging products — Part 1: Definitions and principles for design-for-recycling of
plastic packaging. The tables provide combined design guidance for all considered recycling processes.
The design guidance provided in this document covers a) main packaging components which constitute
PE or PP-based flexible packaging, with all their integrated components and all constituents, including
those which are removed during the recycling process and b) separate components of other types of
packaging which constitute PE or PP flexible materials, with all their constituents, including those which
are removed during the recycling process.
It does not apply to other types of separate components (which are already separated before the sorting
process) as per the definition of part 1 of this series of standards and as determined according to part 3
of this series of standards. Separate components are to be evaluated separately, as described in part 1 of
this series of standards. As such, a separate component can be fully compatible with recycling even when
an integrated component or a constituent of the same specification would only have limited or no
compatibility with recycling according to the guidance in this document. Equally, separate components
can be not compatible with recycling even when an integrated component would be compatible.
oSIST prEN 18120-6:2024
prEN 18120-6:2024 (E)
4.2 Sortability and residual content after emptying
The design guidance provided by this standard considers effects on the sortability of packaging. It does
however not provide details on established sorting processes or a method for determining sortability.
Where sortability testing is advised in the guidance of this document, the provisions of prEN 18120-3,
Packaging — Design for recycling of plastic packaging — Part 3: Sortability evaluation process for plastic
packaging shall apply. This includes the consideration of the effects of residual product content after
emptying on the sortability.
4.3 Copolymers of PE and PP
PE used in the production of rigid packaging can include additional constituents and/or components such
as ethylene copolymers. Such copolymers include for example ethylene butyl acrylate (EBA), ethylene
acrylic acid (EAA) and its zinc, sodium and potassium ionomers, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), ethylene
methyl acetate (EMA), ethylene ethyl acrylate (EEA), ethylene methacrylic acid (EMAA) and its zinc,
sodium and potassium ionomers, and polyethylene-grafted maleic anhydride (PE-g-MAH)) and
cycloolefin copolymers as well as ethylene-based elastomers. Ethylene copolymers are considered fully
recycling compatible constituents and/or components of PE as long as the polar comonomer content is
less than 5 % of the total packaging mass . If the comonomer level is above this threshold, they are
considered limited compatible with recycling unless data are available that would indicate the contrary.
No upper limit is considered for non-polar comonomers like alpha olefins and norbornene. However, if
the comonomer content is equal or greater than 50 %wt, the copolymer is no longer considered a PE
copolymer but a copolymer of the other comonomer. For such cases, the classification of PE copolymers
in the design guidance tables shall not apply and the material shall be considered separately.
PP used in the production of rigid packaging can include additional constituents and/or components such
as polypropylene copolymers. Copolymers may comprise ethylene, higher alpha-olefins, cycloolefins and
dienes as comonomers. Furthermore, PP polymers can be grafted with MAH. If the comonomer content
is equal or greater than 50 %wt, the copolymer is no longer considered a PP copolymer but a copolymer
of the other comonomer. For such cases, the classification of PP copolymers in the design guidance tables
shall not apply and the material shall be considered separately.
4.4 Packaging format specific design guidance
4.4.1 General
The tables in this subclause provide differentiated design guidance for PE and PP rigid packaging,
acknowledging differences between both the properties of these plastics as well as parameters of their
recycling processes and different possible end uses for the recycled plastic.
When both PE and PP are present in a packaging design, the choice of design guidance table shall be based
on the dominant material, by weight, in the main component of the packaging at the stage of disposal.
Further differentiation is provided between natural colour packaging, and coloured packaging. This
differentiation is made as the sorting of plastic waste by colour and subsequent separate recycling of
natural colour and coloured packaging waste is common in Europe. Annex A provides a further
explanation why colouration and printing is a requirement for many types of household rigid packaging
applications.
For natural colour PE based rigid packaging (i.e. no colour in the plastic and mostly unprinted), the
guidance in Table 1 applies. For PE based rigid packaging coloured (through colour in the plastic material
or by direct printing or through other constituents giving a colour), the guidance in Table 2 applies.

For example, if EVA with 18 % wt vinyl acetate comonomer content is used at a 10 %wt level in a package then the
polar comonomer content in that package is 1,8 %wt and the 5 %wt limit is fulfilled.
oSIST prEN 18120-6:2024
prEN 18120-6:2024 (E)
For natural colour PP based rigid packaging (i.e. no colour in the plastic and mostly unprinted), the
guidance in Table 3 applies. For coloured PP based rigid packaging (through colour in the plastic material
or by direct printing or through other constituents giving a colour), the guidance in Table 4 applies.
4.4.2 White packaging
No specific guidance tables are provided in this standard for the special case of white (rather than natural
colour or coloured) packaging designs, made from PE or PP as different scenarios exist for the recycling
of such packaging, either with the coloured stream or in a separate white stream. When designing such
packaging, attention should be paid to a high degree of lightness of the colour. Regarding other
constituents, the tables in this standard can be consulted for orientation.
4.5 Design guidelines summary table
Table 1 — Guideline table for natural PE rigid packaging
GREEN CATEGORY YELLOW CATEGORY RED CATEGORY
Full compatibility Limited compatibility No compatibility
Materials (of the PE (HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE); ≤ 10 %wt PP for the PET, PVC, PS;
main
integrated components;
Nonpolar ethylene Biodegradable, compostable
component)
copolymers and polymers;
homopolymers;
> 10 %wt PP for the
Polar ethylene copolymers integrated components;
with a comonomer content
PLA, PVC, PS, PET and PETG
representing not more than
Cellulose fibres;
5 % wt of comonomer in the
2 Aluminium;
structure
Other materials (wood,
ceramic, glass)
Barrier layers, EVOH ≤ 6,0 %wt + PE-g-MAH EVOH > 6,0 %wt + PE-g- EVOH > 6 %wt with any other
barrier coatings tie layers with MAH tie layers with tie layers;
MAH > 0,1 %wt; MAH > 0,1 %wt;
Aluminium foil;
EVOH:tie layers ratio ≤ 2; EVOH:tie layers ratio ≥ 2;
PVDC, PVC;
Enkase (fluorination); EVOH ≤ 1 %wt with any
Metallisation;
other tie layers;
In-mould fluorination;
Iron
Plasma Fluorination;
SiOx Plasma Coating;
Metallisation;
AlOx and SiOx without
PVOH ≤ 1 %wt;
additional primer or
4 ≤ 25 % PA6 and PA6/66
coating ;
with PE-MAH tie layer
≤ 10 % PA6 and PA6/66 with
PE-MAH tie layer +
compatibilizer
Pigments (in the No pigment other Transparent light colours; Carbon black;
main translucent colours
Metallic pigments in mass
component)
colouration
Including EVA, EMA, EEA and EBA as well as MAH
Applies to all integrated components of the packaging
Statement only on AlOx and SiOX itself. Primers and coatings applied together with AlOx or SiOx need to be evaluated separately

oSIST prEN 18120-6:2024
prEN 18120-6:2024 (E)
GREEN CATEGORY YELLOW CATEGORY RED CATEGORY
Full compatibility Limited compatibility No compatibility
5 7 8
Additives (in the Amounts of additives that Amounts of additives that Amounts of additives that
raise the density of the raise the density of the
main do not raise the density of the
component) main component to packaging from packaging to above
3 3 3
0,99 g/cm or beyond; (0,99 to 1) g/cm 1,00 g/cm ;
Functional additives that do Fillers based on cellulose
not affect the recycling of the fibres, lignin or other natural
material fibres;
Any additive that promote PE
degradation
Print (on the None; Electroplating on Any other direct printing;
main attachments (with density
Any printing technology for Electroplating on attachments
component) 3
the print of specific > 1,00 g/cm ); 3
(with density < 1 g/cm );
information legally required
Direct printing - non-
Bleeding inks;
to be printed onto the
washable ink at room
Inks and coatings not
packaging, provided that
temperature
compliant with EuPIA
inks and coatings compliant
Exclusion Policy for Printing
with EuPIA Exclusion Policy
Inks and Related Products;
for Printing Inks and Related
Products are used;
Direct printed metallized inks
Print structure suitable for
deinking (DIN SPEC 91496)
Labels – material PE (natural/white); PP if PP remains < 10 %wt Non removable or partially
in total in the package; removable labels;
PP in combination with
wahs-off adhesive; Removable PP In-Mold- Labels that hinder the
Labels; recognition of the PE;
PE, PP and/or their
combinations Paper labels without Labels in any other polymer
fibreloss < 5 %wt of the materials with
package 3
density < 1,00 g/cm ;
Paper labels with fibreloss
during recycling process;
Cardboard, paper;
Any other polymer In-Mould-
Labels;
Aluminium;
Metallised labels;
PVC
Labels - adhesive Adhesive that allow removal Water soluble at < 40 °C Any other adhesive
of the labels after wet and or
dry grinding
Thresholds for density may need to be revised in the future based on an assessment of the achievable precision of experimental density
determination
Additives which are essential for product functionality and durability and do not disturb clarity significantly. For example, blueing agents, usual
amounts of antiblock, antistatic, polymer production aids, UV-stabilizers, UV-absorbers.
Such as CaCO , talc, glass fibers, TiO
3 2
Such as CaCO , talc, glass fibers, TiO
3 2
As described in prEN 18120-12
oSIST prEN 18120-6:2024
prEN 18120-6:2024 (E)
GREEN CATEGORY YELLOW CATEGORY RED CATEGORY

Full compatibility Limited compatibility No compatibility
Ink on Print with no bleeding inks in  Label print that inhibits NIR
components removable labels; sorting by type of inks and size
(label, lid,
Label print that do not
sleeves, etc.)
inhibits NIR sorting of the
main components by inks
and size
Sleeves Sleeves in PE (all with Sleeves in PET, PETG, PET- Sleeves in any other polymer
3 C, PLA, PS (all with density materials with density
density < 1,00 g/cm );
3 3
> 1,00 g/cm ); < 1,00 g/cm ;
Sleeves PE, PP and/or their
combinations (with Cardboard sleeves with
3 fibreloss during recycling
density < 1,00 g/cm )
process;
Aluminium;
Metallised sleeves;
PVC, PLA
Flexibles lids, Lids with density Lids with density
PE;
spouts, other 3 3
Lids with < 1,00 g/cm in PE, PP > 1,00 g/cm – not peelable;
additional
3 and/or their combinations,
density < 1,00 g/cm in PE, Metal, glass, paper and
components
EVOH – not peelable;
PP, EVOH – peelable; aluminium components non
Removable aluminium lidding/spout;
Lids with density
lidding with a density
3 Any other polymer
> 1,00 g/cm – peelable;
> 1,00 g/cm ;
Lids with density
Surlyn, seal layer – not
< 1,00 g/cm in PE, PP
peelable
and/or their combinations –
not peelable;
Surlyn, seal layer – peelable
Rigid lids – non PE PP; Other plastics with density
welded or glued 3
Plastics with density < 1,00 g/cm ;
> 1,00 g/cm ; Materials containing cellulose
fibres, lignin and metals
Metals
Liners, seals, HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE, MDPE; PP; Any other polymer with
valves, skin for 3
TPO ≤ 1 %wt; PET, PETG, PLA, PS (all with density < 1,00 g/cm ;
trays and
TPS ≤ 1 %wt a density > 1,00 g/cm ); Any other TPE;
bottlers
Removable silicon with a Aluminium;
density > 1,00 g/cm ; Metal;
Peelable skin; Foiled paper;
Blotter with PVC;
density > 1 g/cm Non peelable skin;
Blotter with density
< 1,00 g/cm in PVC or PLA
E.g., zips, valves, handles
oSIST prEN 18120-6:2024
prEN 18120-6:2024 (E)
Table 2 — Guideline table for coloured and white PE rigid packaging
GREEN CATEGORY YELLOW CATEGORY RED CATEGORY
Full compatibility Limited compatibility No compatibility
Materials (of the PE (HDPE, LDPE, ≤ 10 %wt PP for the PET,PVC, PS;
main component) LLDPE); integrated components;
Biodegradable, compostable
Nonpolar ethylene polymers;
copolymers and
> 10 %wt PP for the integrated
homopolymers;
components;
Polar ethylene
PLA, PVC, PS, PET and PETG;
copolymers with a
Cellulose fibres;
comonomer content
Aluminium foils;
representing not more
than 5 %wt of
Other materials (wood, ceramic,
comonomer in the glass)
structure
Barrier layers, EVOH ≤ 6,0 %wt + PE- EVOH > 6,0 %wt + PE-g- EVOH > 1 %wt with any other tie
barrier coatings g-MAH tie layers with MAH t
...