Overview
ISO 22453:2021 defines standardized methods for the exchange of information on rare earth elements (REEs) contained in industrial waste and end-of-life (EOL) products. The standard aims to improve REE recycling and urban mining - reducing dependency on mining - by specifying how waste handlers and recyclers communicate important product and material data. ISO 22453 includes a generic life cycle for REE recycling and recommends data-carrier technologies such as QR codes and RFID for secure, machine-readable information exchange.
Key topics and requirements
- Scope and purpose
- Methods for information exchange between waste handlers and recyclers for REEs in industrial waste and EOL products.
- Facilitates efficient REE recycling and supports circular economy objectives.
- Generic life cycle
- Describes stages where REE information is relevant (collection, dismantling, pre-treatment, recycling).
- Labelling methods
- 2D barcodes (especially QR codes) and RFID are specified due to high data capacity and read reliability.
- QR codes: low cost, high storage (thousands of ASCII characters), orientation- and damage-tolerant.
- RFID: supports non-line-of-sight reading, real-time tracking, suitable for certain geometries.
- Label contents (minimum recommended fields)
- Supplier/manufacturer name
- Product name
- Gross mass of shipment (and REE mass if available)
- Physical form
- Storage method
- Date of production
- Country and region
- Production method
- WRE code (waste rare earth classification per ISO 22450)
- Batch number
- Data exchange
- REE information (except composition declaration) should be recorded in QR codes in accordance with ISO 22450.
- Composition declaration may be shared but is not mandatory.
- Annex
- Provides a measurement/example QR code for an EOL sintered magnet.
Applications and who uses it
ISO 22453 is practical for:
- Waste handlers and recyclers seeking standardized REE data to assess recovery value
- Manufacturers and suppliers who need to label EOL or scrap shipments
- Logistics providers managing shipments of REE-containing waste
- Policymakers and regulators monitoring circularity and cross-border information flows
- Product designers and sustainability teams integrating material traceability into design-for-recycling
Benefits include faster material identification, reduced sorting costs, improved cross-border information reliability, and enhanced REE recovery rates.
Related standards
Keywords: ISO 22453, rare earth elements, REE recycling, QR code, RFID, industrial waste, end-of-life products, information exchange, WRE code, life cycle.
Open preview (PDF)Exchange of information on rare earth elements in industrial wastes and end-of-life cycled products
