Washington, D.C. – The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. (ISRI) has released updated specifications to modernize, standardize and streamline plastics buying and selling.
The new specifications were approved by ISRI’s Board of Directors at ISRI’s recent Fall Board and Committee Meetings. ISRI’s plastic scrap specifications will give buyers and sellers that handle plastic scrap a set of common terms and definitions they can use when conducting business. This common vernacular can help both parties avoid misunderstandings and ensure the terms they agree upon are mutually beneficial.
“It is important that specifications are updated and revamped when necessary,” said ISRI President Robin Wiener. “We have seen a clear need for common ground when it comes to specifications for recycled plastics. One of our priorities here at ISRI is to ensure the free and fair trade of commodities in a way that can be understood in our global economy.”
“The renewal of these specifications is an ongoing initiative of the ISRI Plastics Recycling Council. The plastics recycling market has been maturing and expanding rapidly, and these new specifications more accurately reflect the current state of trade," said Jonathan L. Cohen, President of Generated Materials Recovery and Chair of ISRI’s Plastic Recycling Council.
The newly approved specifications are below:
Public Notice
ISRI Scrap Specifications
The proposed guidelines are as follows:
Caps, Enclosures, and Labels Are Acceptable Product Need Not Be Washed, But Preferred Mixed Unsorted 1-7 Bottles and Containers
This grade primarily consists of PET bottles and HDPE bottles from residential recycling programs in which no positive sorting of any bottles has occurred and only the Mixed Bulky Rigid Plastics have been removed. Acceptable materials include soda bottles, milk jugs, shampoo bottles, yogurt cups and other food and beverage containers. Non‐bottle containers may consist of items such as cups, trays, clamshells and tubs. Glass bottles and tin or aluminum cans are not allowed in this grade.
Product: Mixed Household Items
Source: Post-consumer material
Contamination:
• Total Allowed – 2% listed below
o Bulky rigid plastics such as crates, buckets, pails, toys, furniture, etc.
o Non-specified plastic or non-plastic material
General: Refer to the General Information Section for more information
Mixed Sorted 3-7 Bottles and Containers
This grade primarily consists of mixed bottles and containers from residential recycling programs in which most of the PET bottles, HDPE bottles and Mixed Bulky Rigid Plastics have been positively sorted out. This grade may include some PET and HDPE but primarily consists of all leftover plastics materials remaining after they have been picked out. Non‐bottle containers may consist of items such as cups, trays, clamshells and tubs. Glass bottles and tin or aluminum cans are not allowed.
Product: Mixed Household Items
Source: Post-consumer material
Contamination:
• Total Allowed – 2% listed below
o Bulky rigid plastics such as crates, buckets, pails, toys, furniture, etc.
o Non-specified plastic or non-plastic material
General: Refer to the General Information Section for more information
Mixed Bulky Rigid Plastics
This grade primarily consists of non bottle PE and PP bulky rigid plastic items such as plastics drums, crates, buckets, baskets, toys, refuse totes and lawn furniture typically collected in a residential recycling MRF. This grade should not contain any mixed 1-7 bottles and containers.
Product: Mixed Household Items
Source: Post-consumer material
Contamination:
• Total Allowed – 2% listed below
o Non-specified plastic or non-plastic material
General: Refer to the General Information Section for more information
The Plastics Recycling Council also requests the Board to make the following changes to the plastics specifications currently included in the Guidelines for Plastic Scrap: P‐2011.
1. Rename “100 – PET Mixed 70/30 Natural Green” TO “PET Mixed Bottles”
2. Rename “200 – HDPE Mixed Color” TO “HDPE Mixed Color Bottles”
3. Rename “201 – HDPE Natural Bottles (Unpigmented)” TO “HDPE Natural Bottles”
4. Eliminate the Baled Recycled Plastic Commercial Guidelines Coding System, the Baled Plastic Material Identification Codes associated with the coding system and the Codes description paragraph from the General Information Section.
5. Delete the following plastic scrap specifications which are included in the Guidelines for Plastic Scrap: 2011
a. Commercial Guideline Baled Recycled Plastic Standard P-300 through 302
b. Commercial Guideline Baled Recycled Plastic Standard P-400 through 402
c. Commercial Guideline Baled Recycled Plastic Standard P-500 through 502
d. Commercial Guideline Baled Recycled Plastic Standard P-600 through 602
e. Commercial Guideline Baled Recycled Plastic Standard P-700 through 702
f. Commercial Guideline Baled Recycled Plastic Standard P-000 through 002