kSIST FprEN 18120-12:2025

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
oSIST prEN 18120-12:2024
01-oktober-2024
Embalaža - Načrtovanje, ki omogoča recikliranje plastične embalaže - 12. del:
Postopek za ocenjevanje možnosti recikliranja plastične embalaže - Protokoli za
togo plastično embalažo iz polietilena (PE) in polipropilena (PP)
Packaging - Design for recycling for plastic packaging - Part 12: Recyclability evaluation
process for plastic packaging - Protocols for PE and PP rigid packaging
Verpackung - Recyclingorientierte Gestaltung von Kunststoffverpackungsprodukten - Teil
12 - Verfahren zur Bewertung der Recyclingfähigkeit von Kunststoffverpackungen -
Protokolle für starre Verpackungen aus PE und PP
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 18120-12
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 18120-12:2024 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

oSIST prEN 18120-12:2024
oSIST prEN 18120-12:2024
DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
prEN 18120-12
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 12: Recyclability evaluation process for plastic
packaging - Protocols for PE and PP rigid packaging
Verpackung - Recyclingorientierte Gestaltung von
Kunststoffverpackungsprodukten - Teil 12 - Verfahren
zur Bewertung der Recyclingfähigkeit von
Kunststoffverpackungen - 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 18120-12:2024 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

oSIST prEN 18120-12:2024
prEN 18120-12:2024 (E)
Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions . 6
4 Recyclability evaluation process . 7
4.1 Principle . 7
4.2 Sampling . 8
4.2.1 Test material requirements . 8
4.2.2 Control sample selection . 9
4.2.3 Virgin resin selection . 9
4.3 Test method . 9
4.4 Test report . 9
4.5 Evaluation . 9
Annex A (normative) Experimental determination of the technical recyclability of PE and PP rigid
packaging samples . 10
A.1 Principle . 10
A.1.1 Apparatus . 10
A.1.2 Reagents and consumables . 11
A.1.3 Sampling . 11
A.1.4 Procedure . 11
A.1.5 Expression of results . 17
A.1.6 Test report . 17
Annex B (normative) Recommendations for control materials . 20
Annex C (informative) Benchmark recommendations for the assessment of technical recyclability 21
Bibliography . 23
oSIST prEN 18120-12:2024
prEN 18120-12:2024 (E)
European foreword
This document (prEN 18120-12:2024) 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 18120-12:2024
prEN 18120-12:2024 (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 18120-12:2024
prEN 18120-12:2024 (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 18120-12:2024
prEN 18120-12:2024 (E)
1 Scope
This document covers the design of PE and PP rigid with respect to compatibility of the design with
recycling processes.
Packaging constituents and packaging components made of other materials than PE and PP are also
covered by this document 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 that 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
EN ISO 178, Plastics — Determination of flexural properties (ISO 178)
EN ISO 527-1:2019, Plastics — Determination of tensile properties — Part 1: General principles (ISO 527-
1:2019)
EN ISO 527 series, Plastics — Determination of tensile properties
ISO 1133-1, Plastics — Determination of the melt mass-flow rate (MFR) and melt volume-flow rate (MVR)
of thermoplastics — Part 1: Standard method (ISO 1133-1)
EN ISO 18314-1, Analytical colourimetry — Part 1: Practical colour measurement (ISO 18314-1)
EN ISO 1183-1, Plastics — Methods for determining the density of non-cellular plastics — Part 1: Immersion
method, liquid pycnometer method and titration method (ISO 1183-1)
EN ISO 3451-1, Plastics — Determination of ash — Part 1: General methods
ISO 11357-1, Plastics — Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) — Part 1: General principles
ISO 11357-3, Plastics — Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) — Part 3: Determination of temperature
and enthalpy of melting and crystallization
ISO 11358-1, Plastics — Thermogravimetry (TG) of polymers — Part 1: General principles
EN ISO 15512:2019, Plastics — Determination of water content (ISO 15512:2019)
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/
oSIST prEN 18120-12:2024
prEN 18120-12:2024 (E)
4 Recyclability evaluation process
4.1 Principle
This standard provides a method of evaluating the technical recyclability of a rigid PE or PP packaging
sample in mechanical recycling processes as they are implemented in Europe. The results characterize
both the processability of the sample as well as the quality of the recycled plastic.
Depending on the choice of the sample, the method can either provide a technical recyclability
determination for a given packaging design or item, or it can be employed to selectively study the impact
of individual design elements in rigid PE and PP plastic packaging on technical recyclability. The latter
approach may be employed to generate data for the updating of design-for-recycling guidelines.
The test method follows the steps (unit operations) that occur in a mechanical recycling process for rigid
PE or PP packaging and seeks to simulate each operation on a laboratory scale. The relevant unit
operations are shown in Table 1. Steps 1 and 2 describe the plastic recycling process itself whereas step
3 represents the conversion of the recycled plastic into products, either bottles or rigid products. As such,
steps 1 and 2 provide information on the processability of the sample whereas step 3 provides
information on the quality of the recycled plastic that can be obtained.
Table 1 — List of unit operations in mechanical recycling of PE or PP rigid packaging
Step # Unit operation Description of operation
1 Pre-treatment
1.1 Grinding PE or PP based rigid packaging waste is ground into flakes
1.2 Washing The flakes are washed to remove product residue and
optionally components such as labels. Most European PE
and PP rigid packaging recycling lines use cold washing
conditions for coloured items. Hot wash can be used for
packaging natural coloured. Hot wash is normally used for
recyclates intended to be used to remove inks, and
therefore increase the yield of natural or transparent
material and prevent odour after extrusion.
1.3 Flotation (Washed) flakes are separated from higher density
materials in a float/sink tank. Flakes and other objects
that sink are removed; flakes that float together with the
PE or PP flakes are recycled with the floating PE or PP
flakes
The flakes are dried to reduce their moisture to less than
1.4 Drying
0,5 % by mass
1.5 Air elutriation Control and innovation PE or PP flakes are separately
elutriated with air to remove light fraction
2 Extrusion
2.1 Flakes blend preparation The flakes of the tested samples are mixed with control
samples with different shares.
2.2 Pellet production The dried flakes are extruded into pellets, employing melt
filtration with a mesh size of 150micron. Temperature
range of the control material as specified in its datasheet
should be used to prevent polymer degradation.
oSIST prEN 18120-12:2024
prEN 18120-12:2024 (E)
Step # Unit operation Description of operation
3 Converting The driving criteria for selection of method should be
provided application and/or application suitable with the
final MFR
3.1 Pellet blend preparation The recycled pellets are blended with other pellets,
typically including virgin grades of the same polymer.
3.2a Blow moulding PP or PE pellet blends are converted into bottles products
by extrusion blow moulding.
3.2b Sheet extrusion PP or PE pellet blends are converted into sheet products by
sheet extrusion.
3.2c Injection moulding Pellets have to be tested for injection moulding to evaluate
tensile properties, colours and defects in a reliable way.
Depending on the final MFR of the pellets, PP or PE pellet
blends are converted into items products by injection
moulding.
NOTE 1 This document does not describe sorting steps that occur at material recovery facilities (MRF) or plastics
recovery facilities (PRF). For the evaluation of such sorting operations, references is made to prEN 18120-3.
The flow of the test method (shown in Figure 1) that is specified in this document simulates the three
main steps in the form of:
1) Pre-treatment of test material and characterization of its behaviour in these processes;
2) Extrusion pre-treated test material flakes, together with control material flakes, to obtain pellet
samples and characterization of those pellets;
3) Conversion of pellet samples, together with virgin resin, into bottles or sheet samples or injection
moulded packaging items depending on MFR and characterization of those samples
NOTE 2 This document describes two dilution steps. The first dilution step (creation of flake mixes from test
material flakes and control material flakes at 25 wt% and 50 wt % of test material) represents the dilution of
individual packaging structures in the overall PE/PP rigid packaging recycling stream and therefore in the sorted
bales of waste that recyclers receive.
The second dilution step (creation of pellet mixes from pellet samples and virgin resin at 50 wt% of virgin
resin) represents the commercial practice of using less than 100 % of recycled plastic in the production
of bottles or rigid items for packaging applications. In this method, instead of creating a blend of pellets
(compounding), the pellet samples and virgin resin pellets are only physically mixed (dry blend).
4.2 Sampling
4.2.1 Test material requirements
For the purposes of this standard, at least 15 kg amount of the packaging material to be evaluated (‘test
material’) is required the quantity should be based on number or quantity of items instead of weight. The
test material may be provided in form of finished rigid packaging.

Packaging structures that contain additional elements such as spouts, caps, zips, valves shall be tested only in form
of finished packaging articles.
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prEN 18120-12:2024 (E)
In order to provide comparability of results between tests, the test material shall be clean and free of
residual product and not obtained from collected waste but rather taken directly from packaging
production processes.
The test material needs to contain the elements needed to be evaluated.
While information on the composition of the test material may be helpful for the interpretation of results,
this test method is applicable to any rigid PE or PP packaging material. For the evaluation of a packaging
sample, disclosure of the composition is not required. If, however, the method is to be used to update
design-for-recycling guidelines, that is, study the impacts of individual packaging design elements,
detailed information on the structure and composition of the test material is required.
4.2.2 Control sample selection
For the purposes of this standard, at least 25 kg of a suitable control material is required. The control
material can be selected from:
Option 1: An item made from a PE or PP resin or resin blend according to Annex B. The chosen resin or
resin blend shall be extruded into bottles, sheets or injection moulded in rigid items at conditions
resembling commercial practices (220 °C for PE and for PP)/ or Processing temperature should be
selected according to the temperature range of the control material as specified in its datasheet. to obtain
the control material.
Option 2: A PE or PP item which is known to be recyclable and consisting of the same base PE or PP resin
or resin blend as the test sample, apart from the constituents or components that are to be tested such as
labels, print etc.
4.2.3 Virgin resin selection
For the conversion tests into bottles, sheets or rigid items, at least 25 kg of a suitable virgin resin in form
of pellets is required. This virgin resin is used for creating pellet mixes (i.e. mix of pellet samples with virgin
pellets). It can be selected from the resins as described under the bottles, sheets or rigid item models in
Annex B.
4.3 Test method
Conduct the testing according to the method described in Annex A.
4.4 Test report
Create the test report according to the requirements described in Annex A.
4.5 Evaluation
To aid in the evaluation of the technical recyclability, benchmark recommendation values in Annex C may
be consulted.
oSIST prEN 18120-12:2024
prEN 18120-12:2024 (E)
Annex A
(normative)
Experimental determination of the technical recyclability of PE and PP rigid
packaging samples
A.1 Principle
The method described in this annex provides a way of evaluating the technical recyclability of a rigid PE
or PP packaging sample in mechanical recycling processes as they are implemented in Europe. The test
method follows the steps (unit operations) that occur in a mechanical recycling process for rigid PE or PP
packaging and seeks to simulate each operation on a laboratory scale. The results characterize both the
processability (A.1.4.2) of the sample as well as the quality of the recycled plastic (A.1.4.3).
WARNING – The use of this document can involve hazardous materials, operations, and
equipment. It does not purport to address all of the safety or environmental risks associated with
its use.
A.1.1 Apparatus
Aside from common laboratory equipment and tools, and the equipment required by the normative
references, the following is required to conduct the testing described in this standard.
A.1.1.1 Granulator, suitable for grinding sample and control into flakes of (10 to 20) mm edge
length. For the evaluation of label removal, a wet granulator can be used.
A.1.1.2 Cylindrical laundry net (net for washing clothing with two nets, with approx.
dimensions of height = 12,5 cm, diameter = 6,5 cm). This net shall be filled with approx. 30 % of the
maximum volume of the net. The inside mesh size should be between (0,5 and 1) mm. The outside mesh
side should be bigger than 1 mm.
A.1.1.3 Washing machine that can control temperature and water volume (e.g. 30 °C and 12 ltr).
A.1.1.4 Sieve, (30 to 60) cm diameter, with (500 to 1 000) microns holes, for removing floating
flakes from water.
A.1.1.5 Trays, ca 50 cm × 90 cm for drying flakes.
A.1.1.6 Forced convection oven, capable of reaching 100 °C.
A.1.1.7 (Optional) Dryer hopper or climate-controlled room at 60 °C for quickly drying large
quantities of flakes.
A.1.1.8 Rigid or rigid container for mixing flakes, with a volume of ca. (20 to 30) L, suitable for the
mixing of 5 kg of flakes.
A.1.1.9 Co-rotating twin-screw extruder with a screw diameter in the range of 30 mm, a minimum
L/D in the range of (18 to 25) mm, a 150 μm melt filter, a throughput of (1 to 10) kg/h, a vacuum
degassing unit and underwater palletisation unit. The extruder should be preferably equipped with a
thermocouple in the barrel to measure the melt temperature or alternatively allow for manual
measurement at the exit.
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prEN 18120-12:2024 (E)
NOTE If a strand pelletiser is to be used, confirm melt strength before performing the testing.
A.1.1.10 (For testing PE and PP) Single screw blow moulding extruder with a screw diameter of
25 mm, a throughput of about 3,5 kg/h.
A.1.1.11 (For testing PP and PE) Single screw sheet extruder with a screw diameter of 25 mm, a
L/D value of 30, a throughput of about (4 to 7) kg/h and a sheet die of 300 mm width.
A.1.1.12 (For testing PP and PE) Injection moulding machine dimensioned according to final item
selected.
A.1.1.13 Brass brushes, for cleaning the extruder barrel and screws.
A.1.2 Reagents and consumables
A.1.2.1 Tap water
A.1.2.2 25 kg of control material (PE or PP)
A.1.2.3 25 kg of virgin resin (PE or PP), in form of pellets
A.1.2.4 10 kg of high drag power cleaning resin (PE or PP), in form of pellets
A.1.2.5 Containers for storing flakes and pellets
A.1.3 Sampling
Sampling shall be conducted in accordance with 4.2.
A.1.4 Procedure
A.1.4.1 Preparation of test material and control material and evaluation of processability
A.1.4.1.1 Grinding
Grind at least 15 kg of the packaging sample (‘test material’) in a granulator to obtain test material flakes
sized between (10 and 20) mm. Record the weight of the test material submitted to the grinder and the
weight of the obtained test material flakes. Take a photo of the test material flakes after grinding. For the
label removal proper evaluation, grinding should be done using wet-grinding and/or a wet granulator
equipment.
Report any anomalies during grinding, such as build-up, agglomerate formation, or slow-down, stop or
damage of the machinery. If anomalies occur, also record them in form of photos .
Repeat abov
...