Virgin Material

Virgin material refers to unused raw material that has not been subjected to any processing other than for its own production. In the context of recycling, it means plastic polymers in granulate or pellet form, produced directly from a chemical process based on gas or crude oil. It is also referred to as prime material.

Recyclate

All plastic materials obtained from the recycling of plastic waste. This includes regranulates, regrinds, agglomerates, regenerates, and recompounds.

Regranulate

Plastic recyclate in pellet form (lens- or cylindrical-shaped), obtained through a melting process. The material composition may have been altered during the process.

Regrind / Flakes

Shredded plastic recyclate obtained from plastic components through grinding, shredding, or milling. The shape is typically irregular.

• Flakes are often associated with shredded film waste.
• Regrind refers more commonly to shredded rigid plastics.

Agglomerate

Larger particles formed by joining or binding smaller particles, where the original form of the material may still be visible. Pellets, flakes, or powder can all form agglomerates. In the context of recyclate trading, agglomerate typically refers to an intermediate product, often resulting from the recycling of films.

Regenerate

Plastic recyclate obtained through a melting process with altered material composition, technically similar to regranulate. The term is often used by German companies for their in-house recycling products.

Compound

A compound is a mixture of one or more polymers in a molten state with additional ingredients such as fillers, plasticizers, catalysts, or colorants. A recompound is specifically based on recycled materials.

Contaminant / Impurity

Unwanted substances or materials, such as organic residues from household waste.

Filler

A solid material added to plastic to modify its mechanical, chemical, thermal, or optical properties, or to optimize processing and cost efficiency.

Lot / Batch / Charge

A defined quantity of recyclate produced under consistent conditions.

• Virgin material is typically produced in large silo-sized lots.
• Recyclate is often manufactured in single big-bag batches.

Post-Consumer Plastic (PCR – Post-Consumer Recyclate)

Plastic waste generated by households, businesses, industrial, or institutional facilities that can no longer be used for its intended purpose.

• PCR/Household: Waste from private households.
• PCR/Commercial: Waste from commercial sources.

🔎 Refer to DIN EN ISO 14021:2021 for detailed definitions.

Post-Industrial / Pre-Consumer Plastic (PIR – Post-Industrial Recyclate)

Material diverted during a manufacturing process but not reused in the same production line.

🔎 Refer to DIN EN ISO 14021:2021 for more details.

Recycled Material

According to DIN EN ISO 14021, recycled material refers to plastic that has been reprocessed from reclaimed material via a manufacturing process. A universally recognized term for this concept is still under development.

Purity Classifications for Recyclates

✔ Type-Clean: Only one plastic type from one raw material manufacturer with the same designation is processed.

✔ Single-Variety: Plastics with the same designation according to DIN EN ISO 11469 or VDA 260, potentially from different manufacturers, are processed.

✔ Similar-to-Type: Plastics with the same basic polymer structure but different specific properties, such as flame-retardant additives, are processed.

✔ Mixed: Different but chemically compatible plastics are processed. These plastics are homogeneously miscible in the melt and result in a material with satisfactory mechanical properties and an acceptable surface finish.

Recycled Content

The proportion by mass of recycled material in a product or packaging.

1️⃣ LDPE Film Grades (Low-Density Polyethylene)

LDPE films are among the most commonly recyclable plastics, especially from packaging materials. The classification is based on the proportion of transparent film to colored/contaminated film.

• LDPE 99/1 → 99% transparent, 1% colored
  Highest quality, nearly pure transparent film, ideal for high-grade recycling.
• LDPE 98/2 → 98% transparent, 2% colored
  Very high quality, minor color contamination allowed.
• LDPE 95/5 → 95% transparent, 5% colored
  Common quality for regranulation, often used in blends.
• LDPE 90/10 → 90% transparent, 10% colored
  Lower cost, but still recyclable.
• LDPE 80/20, 70/30 → Increasing color contamination
  Often industrial film waste, more heavily mixed.

Special cases:

• LDPE film with paper: Contains paper-like impurities.
• Agricultural films (e.g., silage or stretch film): Often contains organic residues.

2️⃣ HDPE Plastic Waste (High-Density Polyethylene)

HDPE is commonly used for bottles, canisters, and technical components.

• HDPE 100% Natural: Pure, uncolored HDPE, highest quality.
• HDPE 90/10: 90% natural-colored, 10% colored.
• HDPE Mixed Colors: Mixture of various colors, lower quality and harder to recycle.
• HDPE Post-Consumer (PCR-HDPE): Household waste such as shampoo or detergent bottles.
• HDPE Post-Industrial (PIR-HDPE): Industrial production scraps.

3️⃣ PP Plastic Waste (Polypropylene)

Polypropylene is found in packaging, automotive parts, and household items.

• PP Homo Natural: High-quality, pure PP with no color additives.
• PP Homo White: White PP, often from big bags.
• PP Mixed Colors: PP in various colors, more affordable.
• PP Copo (Copolymers): Softer, impact-resistant PP, e.g., for automotive components.

4️⃣ PET Plastic Waste (Polyethylene Terephthalate)

PET is widely used in beverage bottles and packaging.

• PET Clear Bottles (100% Clear): Highest quality, suitable for food-grade regranulates.
• PET Green / Blue Bottles: Includes colored PET bottles, lower value.
• PET Mixed Colors: Mixture of different colored PET bottles, more affordable but less versatile.
• PET Trays: Food packaging made from PET, often with coatings.

5️⃣ PS Plastic Waste (Polystyrene)

Polystyrene is used in packaging, disposable products, and casings.

• HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene): Impact-resistant PS, e.g., from refrigerators.
• GPPS (General Purpose Polystyrene): Transparent PS, more brittle than HIPS.
• EPS (Expanded Polystyrene, Styrofoam): Lightweight foam, challenging to recycle.

6️⃣ ABS, PC, and Engineering Plastics

• ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene): Impact-resistant plastic for electronic housings.
• PC (Polycarbonate): Transparent, impact-resistant plastic for CDs, glasses, etc.
• PA6/PA66 (Polyamide): High-performance plastic for technical applications.

7️⃣ Mixed Plastics and Special Cases

• Mixed Plastics: Plastic blends with poor recyclability.
• PVC Waste: Difficult to recycle, often found in cables or flooring.
• WEEE Plastics (Electronic Waste): Plastics from electronic devices, often containing flame retardants.

Summary of Classification Criteria

Plastic waste is classified according to the following quality grades:

GradeDescription99/1 | Very high quality, nearly pure
98/2 | Very recyclable, minor impurities
95/5 | Good quality, with some colored content
90/10 | More impurities, lower cost
80/20, 70/30 | Heavily contaminated, often industrial waste
Mixed / Colors | Mix of different plastics or colors, harder to recycle 

Analyses & Testing Methods

• COA (Certificate of Analysis) – Certification confirming material properties.
• DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry) – Method for analyzing thermal properties.
• FTIR (Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) – Infrared spectroscopy for material analysis.
• TGA (Thermogravimetric Analysis) – Determines material degradation and impurities.
• XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) – X-ray fluorescence analysis for chemical composition.
• GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) – Identifies chemical components in materials.
• ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy) – Elemental analysis of plastics.
• ISO (International Organization for Standardization) – Global standards for testing methods.
• ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) – U.S. standards organization for material testing.
• DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung) – German standards institute for standard testing procedures.

Recycling & Sustainability

• PCR (Post-Consumer Recyclate) – Recycled plastics from household or commercial waste.
• PIR (Post-Industrial Recyclate) – Recycled plastics from industrial production processes.
• R-PET (Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate) – Recycled PET.
• R-PP (Recycled Polypropylene) – Recycled PP.
• R-PE (Recycled Polyethylene) – Recycled PE.
• WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive) – EU directive on electronic waste management.
• SVHC (Substances of Very High Concern) – Hazardous substances under REACH regulation.
• REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) – EU regulation for chemical safety.
• RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive) – Limits hazardous substances in electronics.
• EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) – Manufacturer responsibility for waste management.

Plastics Processing & Technical Properties

• MFI (Melt Flow Index) – Measurement of a plastic’s flow properties.
• MFR (Melt Flow Rate) – Material flow rate under specified conditions.
• MVR (Melt Volume Rate) – Volumetric measurement of plastic flowability.
• HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) – High-density polyethylene.
• LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene) – Low-density polyethylene.
• LLDPE (Linear Low-Density Polyethylene) – Linear low-density polyethylene.
• PP (Polypropylene) – Polypropylene.
• PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) – Polyethylene terephthalate.
• PC (Polycarbonate) – Polycarbonate.
• PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate) – Polybutylene terephthalate.
• PA (Polyamide, e.g., PA6, PA66) – Polyamide (e.g., PA6, PA66).
• ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) – Impact-resistant plastic.
• PS (Polystyrene, HIPS, GPPS) – Polystyrene (HIPS = High Impact, GPPS = General Purpose).
• TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer) – Thermoplastic elastomer.
• EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) – Ethylene vinyl acetate.

Manufacturing & Processing Methods

• IM (Injection Molding) – Injection molding.
• BM (Blow Molding) – Blow molding.
• EBM (Extrusion Blow Molding) – Extrusion blow molding.
• IBM (Injection Blow Molding) – Injection blow molding.
• ISBM (Injection Stretch Blow Molding) – Injection stretch blow molding.
• FM (Film Molding) – Film extrusion.
• RIM (Reaction Injection Molding) – Reaction injection molding.
• TSE (Twin Screw Extrusion) – Twin screw extrusion.
• CSE (Single Screw Extrusion) – Single screw extrusion.
• TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) – Thermoplastic polyurethane.

Logistics & Quality Control

• TDS (Technical Data Sheet) – Document with material properties.
• SDS (Safety Data Sheet) – Safety information for materials.
• COA (Certificate of Analysis) – Certificate verifying chemical and physical properties.
• CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) – U.S. regulatory framework for material approvals.
• FDA (Food and Drug Administration) – U.S. agency for food and medical approvals.
• BPA (Bisphenol A-Free) – Indicates BPA-free plastics.

Other Key Terms in the Plastics Industry

• VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) – Gaseous emissions from plastics.
• GWP (Global Warming Potential) – Measure of a material’s impact on climate change.
• LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) – Analysis of a product’s environmental impact.
• GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) – Quality standards in production.
• ISO 14001 – Environmental management system certification.
• ISO 9001 – Quality management system certification.
• UL (Underwriters Laboratories) – Certification body for material safety.
• DIN EN ISO 14021 – Standard for classifying recycled materials.