This recommended practice provides a screening procedure for evaluating the susceptibility of plastics to environmental stress cracking by testing their resistance to pure solvents. This method can then be used to evaluate complex chemical mixtures with components identified as suspect, which are expected to be present in the polymer's environment. It is recommended that ASTM D 543, Resistance of Plastics to Chemical Reagents, also be conducted. This test evaluates chemical effects that can cause changes in polymer weight, dimension, appearance or strength.