Overview
ISO/TR 23891:2020 - Plastics - Recycling and recovery - Necessity of standards is a Technical Report that provides a concise, 2019‑era overview of plastic recycling systems, existing standards, and the main recycling techniques. It aims to identify gaps and the necessity of standards to support regional adoption or development of new and improved standards for plastics recycling. The report focuses on mechanical and chemical (feedstock) recycling and related preparatory activities; it explicitly excludes organic (biological) recycling and energy recovery.
Key topics covered
- Overview of pre‑recycling technologies and general considerations such as process effects on polymer resins, design for sustainability, and the role of additives.
- Plastics processing and conversion methods (e.g., extrusion, injection moulding, blow moulding) and how processing affects recyclability.
- Waste management and the supply chain for uptake of recycled plastics.
- Inventory of existing standards (national, regional and global) relevant to plastics recycling, including activities of ISO/TC 61 (SC 14), CEN/TC 249, ISO/TC 122, ASTM Subcommittee D20.95 and several national bodies.
- Descriptions of recycling routes: material recovery, mechanical recycling (with preparatory steps), and chemical/feedstock recycling.
- Mapping of challenges that hinder a circular plastics economy - for example: lack of harmonized methods to calculate recycling rates, choosing the right recycling route, ensuring recyclate quality, managing renewable vs. recycled feedstock, resource efficiency, and traceability/marking in design.
- Annexes on additives and their functions and participating cities.
Practical applications and users
ISO/TR 23891 is primarily a guidance and scoping document useful for:
- Standards developers and national bodies planning new standards or aligning regional approaches.
- Policymakers and regulators creating frameworks for circular plastics and recycling targets.
- Product designers and manufacturers implementing design for sustainability and improving recyclability.
- Recycling industry professionals evaluating mechanical vs chemical recycling routes and preparatory processes.
- Researchers and NGOs mapping gaps in plastic recycling standards, recyclate quality assessment, and traceability systems.
Related standards and bodies
The report maps and references existing work by ISO technical committees (ISO/TC 61 SC 14), CEN/TC 249, ISO/TC 122 (packaging), ASTM D20.95, and national standards bodies (UNI, BIS, JISC), providing a starting point for harmonization and standards development.
ISO/TR 23891 is a strategic resource for anyone involved in developing or applying plastic recycling standards, improving recyclability, and building a more sustainable plastics value chain.