GB/T 40006.1-2021

Plastics—Recycled plastic—Part 1:General rules (English Version)

Standard No.

GB/T 40006.1-2021

Language

Chinese, Available in English version

Release Date

2021

Published By

General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People‘s Republic of China

Latest

GB/T 40006.1-2021

Scope

This document specifies the terms and definitions, classification and naming, requirements, test methods, and traceability documents of recycled plastics. This document is applicable to recycled plastic granules made from waste thermoplastics through screening, sorting, cleaning, melt extrusion granulation (including stranding, heat cutting and/or water cutting and other granulation processes). This document Also suitable for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle flakes. This document does not apply to recycled plastics from medical waste, hazardous waste such as pesticide packaging, and radioactive waste.

Introduction

Analysis of the core content of the standard

GB/T40006.1-2021, as the basic specification of my country's first national standard system for recycled plastic products, has established the three core frameworks of the classification and naming system, technical index requirements and testing methods for recycled plastics. The standard applies to all types of thermoplastic recycled plastic particles and PET bottle flakes except hazardous waste.

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Comparative Analysis of Technical Elements

Technical Dimensions	Virgin Plastic Standards	Recycled Plastic Standards	Explanation of Differences
Naming Rules	GB/T1844.1 Single Resin Code	Five-Character Composite Naming (Including REC Logo)	Adding Recycled Characteristics Such as Color/Properties/Source
Restricted Substances	Requirements of Some Industry Standards	Mandatory Provisions for 6 Types of Heavy Metals + 6 Types of Organic Matter	New Testing Items Such as Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers
Testing Methods	Conventional physical property testing	Specially establish odor classification/radioactivity testing	Supplementary methods for recycling characteristics

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Key points for the implementation of key indicators

Naming system implementation

The standard innovatively adopts the five-section naming method: Taking PE-HD(REC)-B2-C1,,E,D01095 as an example:

• Character group 1: PE-HD(REC) represents high-density polyethylene recycled material
• Color properties: B2 (blue)-C1 (cylindrical industrial source)
• Processing use: E (extruded sheet)

Restricted substance control

Two types of substances are controlled:

1. Heavy metals: lead/mercury≤1000mg/kg, cadmium≤100mg/kg
2. Organic matter: polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE)≤0.1%

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Test method practical guide

Odor level assessment

Use 80℃ constant temperature olfactory method:

• Sample preparation: 20±0.1g sample is placed in a 1L wide-mouth bottle
• Test conditions: Heating at 80℃ for 120 minutes, then tasting at 60℃
• Grade classification: 1 (odorless) to 6 (unbearable)

Qualitative analysis of materials

Dual verification mechanism:

1. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC): Determination of melting temperature
2. Infrared spectroscopy (ATR): Characteristic peak comparison

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Industry application suggestions

Enterprise compliance path

• Establish a raw material traceability system (Appendix C format)
• Detect heavy metal/organic matter indicators for each batch
• Select corresponding sub-standards according to use (such as PE/PP special standards)

Standard evolution direction

The standard system will be expanded to 12 types of plastics, which have been released so far:

1. Part 2: Polyethylene (PE) materials
2. Part 3: Polypropylene (PP) materials

GB/T 40006.1-2021 Referenced Document

• GB/T 1844.1-2008 Plastics.Symbols and abbreviated terms.Part1:Basic polymers and their special characteristics
• GB/T 19466.2-2004 Plastics-Differential scanning calorimetry(DSC)-Part 2:Determination of glass transition temperature
• GB/T 19466.3-2004 Plastics-Differential scanning calorimetry(DSC)-Part 3:Determination of temperature and enthalpy of melting and crystallization
• GB/T 2035 Plastics Terminology*， 2024-05-28 Update
• GB/T 6040-2019 General rules for infrared analysis

GB/T 40006.1-2021 history

• 2021 GB/T 40006.1-2021 Plastics—Recycled plastic—Part 1:General rules

GB/T 40006.1-2021 -All Parts