Design Guidelines

Please select a product from below:

Transparent clear / light blue PET bottles
Transparent coloured PET bottles
Opaque PET bottles
Opaque White PET bottles (under construction)

	Yes Full compatibility – materials that passed the testing protocols with no negative impact OR materials that have not been tested (yet), but are known to be acceptable in PET recycling	Conditional Limited compatibility – materials that passed the testing protocols if certain conditions are met OR materials that have not been tested (yet), but pose a low risk of interfering with PET recycling	No Low compatibility – materials that failed the testing protocols OR materials that have not been tested (yet), but pose a high risk of interfering with PET recycling
Material	PET PET PET		PLA; PVC; PS; PETG PLA; PVC; PS; PETG PLA; PVC; PS; PETG
Size			smaller than 4 cm (when compacted) or larger than 5 liters smaller than 4 cm (when compacted) or larger than 5 liters smaller than 4 cm (when compacted) or larger than 5 liters
Colours	transparent clear; transparent light blue transparent, light colours all transparent colours; opaque colours without a layered structure	. . transparent, dark colours opaque in layered structure	other transparent colours; opaque; fluorescence; metallic opaque; fluorescence; metallic fluorescence; metallic
Barrier	SiOx plasma-coating SiOx coating; carbon plasma-coating; Nylon-MXD6 in a 3-layer structure with up to 6 wt% Nylon-MXD6 and no tie layers, PTN alloy SiOx coating; carbon plasma-coating; Nylon-MXD6 in a 3-layer structure with up to 6 wt% Nylon-MXD6 and no tie layers ; PTN alloy	carbon plasma-coating; Nylon-MXD6 in a 3-layer structure with up to 5 wt% Nylon-MXD6 and no tie layers; PGA multilayer ; PTN alloy Nylon-MXD6 in a multilayer structure with up to 6 wt% Nylon-MXD6 and tie layers; EVOH multilayer with up to 3 wt% EVOH and no tie layers; monolayer Nylon-MXD6 blend; PGA multilayer Nylon-MXD6 in a multilayer structure with up to 6 wt% Nylon-MXD6 and tie layers; EVOH multilayer with up to 3 wt% EVOH and no tie layers; monolayer Nylon-MXD6 blend; PGA multilayer	Nylon-MXD6 in a 3 layer structure, with > 5 wt% Nylon-MXD6 or with tie layers; Nylon-MXD6 in a 5 layer structure; monolayer Nylon-MXD6 blend; EVOH Nylon-MXD6 in a multilayer structure with > 6 wt% Nylon-MXD6; EVOH multilayer with >3 wt% EVOH or with tie layers Nylon-MXD6 in a multilayer structure with > 6 wt% Nylon-MXD6; EVOH multilayer with >3 wt% EVOH or with tie layers
Additives		UV stablilisers; AA blockers; optical brighteners; oxygen scavengers UV stablilisers; AA blockers; optical brighteners; oxygen scavengers UV stablilisers; AA blockers; optical brighteners; oxygen scavengers	bio-/oxo-/photodegradable additives; nanocomposites; bio-/oxo-/photodegradable additives; nanocomposites bio-/oxo-/photodegradable additives; nanocomposites
Closure Systems	PE; PP; all with density <1 g/cm³ PE; PP; all with density <1 g/cm³ PE; PP; all with density <1 g/cm³		materials with density >1 g/cm³ (e.g. highly filled PE; metals); non-detaching or welded closures materials with density >1 g/cm³ (e.g. highly filled PE; metals); non-detaching or welded closures ) materials with density >1 g/cm³ (e.g. highly filled PE; metals); non-detaching or welded closures )
Liners, Seals and Valves	PE; PE+EVA; PP; foamed PET; all with density <1 g/cm³ PE; PE+EVA; PP; foamed PET; all with density <1g/cm³ PE; PE+EVA; PP; foamed PET; all with density <1g/cm³	silicone with density <0.95 g/cm³; floatable TPE silicone with density <0.95g/cm³; floatable TPE silicone with density <0.95g/cm³; floatable TPE	materials with density >1 g/cm³ (e.g. PVC, silicone, metals) materials with density >1 g/cm³ (e.g. PVC, silicone, metals) materials with density >1 g/cm³ (e.g. PVC, silicone, metals)
Labels	PE; PP; OPP; EPS; foamed PET ; all with density <1 g/cm³ PE; PP; OPP; EPS; foamed PET; all with density <1 g/cm³ PE; PP; OPP; EPS; foamed PET; all with density <1 g/cm³	lightly metallised labels (density <1 g/cm³); paper lightly metallised labels (density <1 g/cm³); paper lightly metallised labels (density <1 g/cm³); paper	materials with density >1 g/cm³ (e.g. PVC; PS; PET; PETG; PLA); metallised materials; non-detaching or welded labels; foamed PETG (even with density <1 g/cm³); PET with washable inks materials with density >1 g/cm³ (e.g. PVC; PS; PET; PETG; PLA); metallised materials; non-detaching or welded labels; foamed PETG (even with density <1 g/cm³); PET with washable inks materials with density >1 g/cm³ (e.g. PVC; PS; PET; PETG; PLA); metallised materials; non-detaching or welded labels; foamed PETG (even with density <1 g/cm³); PET with washable inks
Sleeves	sleeves with partial bottle coverage in PE; PP; OPP; EPS; foamed PET; LDPET; all with density <1 g/cm³ sleeves with partial bottle coverage in PE; PP; OPP; EPS; foamed PET; LDPET; all with density <1 g/cm³ sleeves with partial bottle coverage in PE; PP; OPP; EPS; foamed PET; LDPET; all with density <1 g/cm³	full sleeves translucent for IR detection in PE; PP; OPP; EPS; foamed PET; LDPET; all with density <1 g/cm³ (INTERIM: Twin-perforated sleeves for household and personal care) full sleeves translucent for IR detection in PE; PP; OPP; EPS; foamed PET; LDPET; all with density <1 g/cm³ (INTERIM: Twin-perforated sleeves for household and personal care) full sleeves translucent for IR detection in PE; PP; OPP; EPS; foamed PET; LDPET; all with density <1 g/cm³ (INTERIM: Twin-perforated sleeves for household and personal care)	materials with density >1 g/cm³ (e.g. PVC; PS; PET; PETG); metallised materials; heavily inked sleeves; full body sleeves; foamed PETG (even with density <1 g/cm³); PET with washable inks materials with density >1 g/cm³ (e.g. PVC; PS; PET; PETG); metallised materials; heavily inked sleeves; full body sleeves; foamed PETG (even with density <1 g/cm³); PET with washable inks materials with density >1 g/cm³ (e.g. PVC; PS; PET; PETG); metallised materials; heavily inked sleeves; full body sleeves; foamed PETG (even with density <1 g/cm³); PET with washable inks
Tamper Evidence Wrap	PE; PP; OPP; EPS; foamed PET; all with density <1 g/cm³ PE; PP; OPP; EPS; foamed PET ; all with density <1 g/cm³ PE; PP; OPP; EPS; foamed PET; all with density <1 g/cm³		materials with density >1 g/cm³ (e.g metal; PVC; PS; PET; PETG); metallised materials; foamed PETG (even with density <1 g/cm³); PET with washable inks materials with density >1 g/cm³ (e.g metal; PVC; PS; PET; PETG); metallised materials; foamed PETG (even with density <1 g/cm³); PET with washable inks materials with density >1 g/cm³ (e.g metal; PVC; PS; PET; PETG); metallised materials; foamed PETG (even with density <1 g/cm³); PET with washable inks
Adhesives	alkali/water releasable at 60-80oC without reactivation alkali/water releasable at 60-80 C without reactivation alkali/water releasable at 60-80 C without reactivation		alkali/water soluble, non-releasable or releasable above 80oC alkali/water soluble, non-releasable or releasable above 80oC alkali/water soluble, non-releasable or releasable above 80oC
Inks	non-toxic; follow EUPIA Guidelines non toxic; follow EUPIA Guidelines non toxic; follow EUPIA Guidelines		inks that bleed; toxic or hazardous inks; metallic inks inks that bleed; toxic or hazardous inks; metallic inks inks that bleed; toxic or hazardous inks; metallic inks
Direct Printing	laser marked laser marked laser marked	production or expiry date production or expiry date production or expiry date	any other direct printing any other direct printing any other direct printing
Other Components	base cup, handles or other components which are separated by grinding and float/sink - all with density <1 g/cm³; unpigmented PET base cup, handles or other components which are separated by grinding and float/sink - all with density <1 g/cm³; PET base cup, handles or other components which are separated by grinding and float/sink - all with density <1 g/cm³; PET		materials with density >1 g/cm³ (e.g. metal, RFID tags); non-detaching or welded components; coloured PET; materials with density >1 g/cm³ (e.g. metal, RFID tags); non-detaching or welded components materials with density >1 g/cm³ (e.g. metal, RFID tags); non-detaching or welded components

This work has been published by the European PET Bottle Platform with experts in the plastics packaging and recycling industry. The information contained in this document is for general guidance only. Any details given are intended as a general recommendation based on the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. It does not necessarily guarantee compliance with the different recycling schemes. This is by no means an exhaustive list. Users are therefore advised to make their own enquiries with EPBP, local recyclers or recycling organisations to check for specific and up-to-date information.

It is important to note that this is a living or dynamic document which will be continually edited, updated and expanded by our panel of experts as more information becomes available. This means that a certain product and/or material classification may change in future. Users are therefore advised to check the EPBP website for the latest information (www.petbottleplatform.eu).

We value your feedback because it will help us to develop this publication even more and to make it a useful tool for you and other actors in the PET value chain. We appreciate you taking the time to let us know what you think about EPBP’s Design for Recycling Guidelines, so please send your comments and/or additional information to: epbp@epbp.org.

We call upon all companies developing new resins, additives, technologies and novel processes for PET bottles to bring their products to the European PET Bottle Platform in order to get an objective third party assessment of their recyclability. Assessment is free, but any testing will be at the cost of the applicant. For more information about our assessments, please contact us on enquiry@epbp.org.

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Design Guidelines