Recycled plastic materials may contain incompatible plastic or other undesirable contaminants that could affect the processing or quality, or both, of the plastic prepared for reuse. Techniques to separate and identify incompatible plastics, moisture, chemicals, or original product residues, and solid contaminants such as metals, paper, glass, and wood are essential to the processing of recycled plastic materials.

This guide lists existing ASTM and ISO methods plus currently practiced industrial techniques for identification and classification of contaminants in recycled plastics flake or pellets.

1.1 This guide is intended to provide information on available methods for the separation and classification of contaminants such as moisture, incompatible polymers, metals, adhesives, glass, paper, wood, chemicals, and original-product residues in recycled plastic flakes or pellets. Although no specific methods for identification or characterization of foam products are included, foam products are not excluded from this guide. The methods presented apply to post-consumer plastics.

1.2 For specific procedures existing as ASTM test methods, this guide only lists the appropriate reference. Where no current ASTM standard exists, however, this guide gives procedures for the separation or identification, or both, of specific contaminants. lists the tests and the specific contaminant addressed by each procedure.

1.3 This guide does not include procedures to quantify the contaminants unless this information is available in referenced ASTM standards.

1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

Note 1—Although this guide references ISO standards, there is no similar or equivalent ISO standard covering this topic.