Overview
ISO 1043-1:2011 - Plastics: Symbols and abbreviated terms - Part 1: Basic polymers and their special characteristics defines the widely accepted abbreviated terms and symbols used to identify basic polymers and to indicate special material characteristics. The standard promotes consistent shorthand for polymer names (e.g., PE, PVC, PET), prevents ambiguous or duplicate abbreviations, and provides rules and guidance for forming new abbreviated terms. It also covers optional notation for plastics recyclate (REC).
Key topics and technical requirements
- Preferred abbreviated terms for homopolymers, copolymers and natural polymers (capital letters only).
- Component symbols and rules to combine them (Annex B) to form copolymer and blend identifiers.
- Symbols for special characteristics (Clause 6) - up to four supplementary symbols placed after the polymer abbreviation, separated by hyphens (no spaces), e.g., PS-HI (high-impact polystyrene).
- Rules for blends and alloys (use “+” to list components by descending mass fraction, e.g., PC+ABS).
- Guidance for creating new abbreviated terms (Annex A) to avoid duplication and confusion.
- Recyclate notation: the optional symbol “(REC)” appended at the end (e.g., PET(REC)). If a specific recycled content percentage is declared, use “(RECxx)” (e.g., (REC50)).
- Formatting rules: only capital letters, first use in text should show full name followed by abbreviation in parentheses.
- Examples and classification: Clause 8 and Annex C provide practical examples and grouped lists.
Practical applications
ISO 1043-1 is highly practical for:
- Product design and specification: clear polymer identification on datasheets, labels and technical documents.
- Manufacturing and supply chain: consistent material designation for procurement, molding, extrusion and processing instructions.
- Quality, compliance and testing: unambiguous naming for test reports and declarations.
- Recycling and sustainability communications: standardized use of (REC) when declaring recycled content.
- Technical publications and standards writers: a uniform shorthand to improve clarity across industry literature.
Who should use this standard
- Polymer and plastics manufacturers
- Material engineers and product designers
- Technical writers and regulatory professionals
- Recycling and waste management organizations
- Standards committees and laboratory personnel
Related standards
- ISO 1043 parts 2–4 (fillers, plasticizers, flame retardants)
- ISO 472 (Plastics - Vocabulary)
- ISO 1629, ISO 18064 (rubbers and thermoplastic elastomers nomenclature)
- ISO 14021 (environmental labels and declarations - recyclate claims)
Using ISO 1043-1:2011 ensures consistent polymer nomenclature, reduces misinterpretation in supply chains, and supports clear sustainability claims for plastics and recyclates.
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