How to Mark Plastic Parts with Recycled Content: A Quick Guide to ISO 1043 & ISO 11469

Hello and welcome to a new blog post on plastic part marking. As the plastics industry moves toward a circular economy, clear and standardized part marking is more important than ever—especially when using recycled materials. ISO 1043 and ISO 11469 provide the global framework for material identification and marking, helping manufacturers, recyclers, and end-users quickly recognize what’s in a plastic part.

Here’s how to apply these standards when your part contains recycled material (Figure 1):

1. Basic Material Identification

• Use angle brackets to indicate the polymer type.
  • Example: >ABS< for acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene.

2. Declaring Recycled Content

• If your part includes recycled material, you have several marking options:
  • No specific claim:
    >ABS<
    (Use this when you don’t want to declare recycled content.)
  • General claim of recycled content:
    >ABS(REC)<
    (Use this to indicate the presence of recyclate, without specifying the amount.)
  • Specific claim with minimum percentage:
    >ABS(RECx)<
    (Replace “x” with the minimum percentage by mass. For example, >ABS(REC30)< means at least 30% recycled content.)

3. Marking Polymer Blends and Alloys

• For blends, list the main polymer first, followed by the secondary polymer:
  • Example: >PC+ABS< for a polycarbonate and ABS alloy.
• To declare recycled content in a blend:
  • Example: >PC+ABS(REC30)< for a blend with at least 30% recycled content.

Figure 1: Applying ISO 1043 for plastic part marking when containing recycled materials.

Why does this matter?
Consistent and transparent marking supports efficient recycling, traceability, and compliance with sustainability goals. It also helps customers and recyclers make informed decisions—boosting the value of recycled plastics in the marketplace.

In summary:
When designing plastic parts with recycled content, follow ISO 1043 and ISO 11469 for clear, standardized marking. It’s a small step that makes a big difference for the circular plastics economy!

Check out my detailed guide on ISO 1043 plastic part marking codes here.

Thanks for reading & #findoutaboutplastics

Greetings,

Herwig Juster

🎥Join my YouTube channel community 

🔎I review your polymer material selection and plastic part design - contact me here

🔥 There is a problem keeping you awake - My personal website for Polymer Consulting

📊 Discover your Polymer Material Selection score by taking quick test here

Literature: 

[1] https://www.findoutaboutplastics.com/2020/12/plastic-part-marking-overview-codes-and.html

[2] https://cdn.standards.iteh.ai/samples/63434/f460de8a1261420a92f1195a8e329213/ISO-11469-2016.pdf