Design Guidelines

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Transparent clear / light blue monolayer and multilayer Trays

	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		PLA; PVC; PS; PETG; Other opaque and colour material (not detectable); Expanded PET, PET/PE
Size
Colours	transparent clear; transparent light blue		Metallic
Colours for coloured PET thermoforms	light and opaque NIR detectable colours		Fluorescent colours, metallic, non detectable colours
Barrier for monolayer	None; PET based oxygen Barriers or Scavenger with no yellowness effects after TCEP oven test.	PET based oxygen Barriers or Scavenger with limited yellowness effects after TCEP oven test	EVOH; PA; any other barrier; any other oxygen scavenger
Barrier for multilayer	Barrier material laminated and incorporated to the polyolefin liner		Barrier material laminated or incorporated to the main PET layer. PVCD as barrier
Additives	Silicone surface coating (on coating area); Antilocking masterbatch; None of them should affect clarity	Any other additive (UV stabilisers; AA blockers; optical brighteners; antilocking; anti-stat agents; anti-fogging (on coating area)) With Limited effect on clarity to be measured	Bio/Oxo/Photodegradable additives; Nanocomposites
UNPRINTED Lidding films - Closure systems (with glue not harming the recycling process)	PET; OR Floating combination of plastics with density < 0,95 g/cm3 ; NO glue residuals; If no PET, no lidding film residual on the tray. SiOx, AluOx plasma for barrier.		any other sinking film with density > 1 g/cm3 (to be proven with sink/float test)
PRINTED Lidding films - Closure systems (with glue not harming the recycling process)	NO PRINITNG PREFERED. OR plastics/combination of floating plastics with density < 0,95 g/cm3; NO glue residuals; foamed PET based films where foamed structure is not getting destroyed @ 90°C ; If no PET, no lidding film residual on the tray. SiOx and AluOx plasma for barrier		any other film
Labels (with adhesive not harming the recycling process - see labels adhesive section)	NO LABEL PREFERED. Plastic labels where label has a density < 1 g/cm3 in the more heavily printed and adhesive area	BPA-Free Paper labels not loosing fibbers (pulping) and floating	Plastic labels where label has a density > 1 g/cm3 in the more heavily printed and adhesive area - Paper labels loosing fibbers (pulping) - Paper containing BPA - non floating paper labels
Adhesives for: 1.Sealing layer, 2.Labels/other components, 3.Lamination	Adhesives with 100% removing ratio and no adhesive residuals on flakes @ 70°C testing temperature Water or alkali soluble in 60-80°C. Peelable films not leaving not leaving residuals on the flakes	adhesives with 100% removing ratio and no adhesive residuals on flakes @ 85°C testing temperature	Bi-component solventless adhesives
Inks	Non toxic, follow EUPIA Guidelines		Inks that bleed; toxic or hazardous inks
Direct Printing	Laser marked for traceability (production or expiry date)		Any other direct printing
Other Components	NO other components are preferred	Inserts in HDPE / LDPE / PP, Soaker pads, bubble pads and paper & carboard - all inserts should be completely removable and leave no traces	PVC / PS / EPS / PU / PA (Nylon); PC / PMMA Thermoset plastics / metals; non compliant soaker pads
Liners for multilayer packaging, seals and valves	PET/PE; PE/EVOH/PE; PE+EVA; EVA;EMA;PP;TPO;EPE; and EPP all with density<1gr/cm3. TPS with density <0,95gr/cm3	Floatable silicon; PET/PE	Materials with density >1gr/cm3 (eg. PVC, silicon, metals)silicone (even with density <1g/cm3). Foamed PET. Any other floatable or non floatable materials made of wood or cellulosic materials
Sleeves and wraps	Sleeves with partial coverage and wraps with full coverage of the package in PO, PE, PP, OPP. All with density <1g/cm3	Full sleeves or wraps in PO,PE,PP, OPP all with density <1g/cm3. PET based sleeve with density <1g/cm3	Materials with density >1g/cm3 (eg metal, PVC, PS, PETG)metallized materials. Foamed PETG (even with density <1g/cm3)
Tamper evidence wrap	PE, PP,OPP all with density <1g/cm3		Materials with density >1g/cm3 (eg metal, PVC, PS, PETG)metallized materials. Foamed PETG (even with density <1g/cm3)
Colours for coloured PET thermforms	Light and opaque NIR detectable colours		Fluorescent colours, metallic, non detectable colours
Direct Printing for coloured PET rigid	Laser marked for traceability (production or expiry date)	Any other direct printing on the main component of the packaging

This work has been published by the Tray Circularity Evaluation 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 TCEP, 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 TCEP website for the latest information (https://www.tcep-europe.org/)

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 TCEP’s Design for Recycling Guidelines, so please send your comments and/or additional information to: https://www.tcep-europe.org/

We call upon all companies developing new resins, additives, technologies and novel processes for PET trays to bring their products to the Tray Circularity Evaluation 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@tcep.org.

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Design Guidelines