Secondary Packaging Polymer Recycling Contamination Baseline Assessment Methods
Recycled secondary polymer baseline assessment requires volatile headspace screening and mineral oil quantification to prevent migration across primary packaging.
EN 15343 Traceability
Meaning
A procedural framework governs the input, processing, and output streams of recycled plastic materials to verify chain of custody. Under en 15343 traceability, a production facility maps the provenance of polymer feedstock from the initial collection point through mechanical conversion steps. This protocol identifies the precise quantity of recyclate incorporated into a final moulded part or extruded film.
Accurate documentation prevents the dilution of reclaimed resin streams by unverified virgin or off-specification material.
Process Audit
Recyclers maintain a register of material origin and chemical composition to substantiate environmental claims for specific product grades. Any variation in the melt flow index or contamination levels necessitates an update to the recorded batch history. Moulders identify their own inventory by linking incoming certified lots to the production records of the finished unit.
A systematic ledger provides the necessary evidence to confirm the recycled content percentage against a declared datasheet value.
Cost Governance
Discrepancies in data integrity result in financial penalties and the loss of product certification. Premium pricing for high-grade recyclate relies on this verifiable history to justify the cost difference compared to commodity virgin resins. Manufacturers absorb additional overhead to sustain the documentation requirements but gain access to markets where regulated sustainability targets apply.
Production Boundary
Compliance stops where the polymer chain terminates at the end of the manufacturing cycle. Documentation includes the transition from post-consumer waste to pelletized resin but does not cover the service life of the resulting plastic object. The mechanism creates a closed loop where every kilogram of material has a defined history from waste stream to moulded component.