Definitions

How are LESS PLASTICS andplastic-free defined?

Our certification programmes mark a milestone in consumer protection: for the first time, every type of plastic in a product can be identified and quantified. Here you will find the binding definitions on which our trustmarks and tests are based.

Clearly defined, measurable in the laboratory and traceable across the entire supply chain.

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A milestone in consumer protection

Detecting every type of plastic

Our certification programmes mark a milestone in consumer protection: for the first time, plastics of every kind can be detected and quantified in products. These include polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), among others. Thanks to their remarkable material properties, plastics are used in an ever-growing number of applications. These include elastomers, thermoplastics, thermosets, bio-based and biodegradable plastics and mixed variants, as well as microplastics as defined by REACH (09/2023) and ECHA (including ISO/TR 21960:2020 Plastics, Environmental aspects, State of knowledge and methodologies).

Base definition

What counts as a polymer and plastic?

The basic understanding and definition of polymer and plastic follows EU standards and complies with the SUPD (Single-Use Plastics Directive). Regardless of the polymers' raw materials (fossil or renewable), any material deliberately produced into polymeric materials through chemical reactions is defined as plastic. The definition therefore includes bioplastics such as PLA. Only polymers that are the result of a natural polymerisation process, regardless of the process used to extract them and provided they are not chemically modified substances, are excluded.

Definition

LESS PLASTICS

“LESS PLASTICS” labels consumer goods, products, packaging and semi-finished goods in which plastic accounts for a small share of the total composition and does not exceed a clear threshold. These thresholds are based on international standards as well as factors such as contamination and technical unavoidability limits. They are defined within the specific certification and product categories and act as measurable standards for laboratory testing, conformity assessment and certification. The precise maximum permitted plastic content is stated on every flustix LESS PLASTICS trustmark and is the unambiguous reference value for the meaning of the LESS PLASTICS claim. This creates a clear, measurable and verifiable statement that is communicated transparently through the LESS PLASTICS trustmarks across the entire supply chain to economic operators (B2B), stakeholders and consumers at the point of sale (B2C).

To the LESS PLASTICS page

Definition

PLASTIC-FREE – Product Content Microplastic-Free

Under REACH (Regulation (EU) No 2055/2023), microplastic is defined as a solid, water-insoluble plastic particle or object with a size of up to 5000 μm (= 5 mm). The term specifically focuses on primary, intentionally added microplastic. In laboratory testing, microplastic is measured down to a size of max. 1 μm. Under the REACH Regulation, microplastic must not be present in products or semi-finished goods to impart a desired property in order to obtain the PLASTIC-FREE – Product Content Microplastic-Free certification.

Excluded from the microplastic definition

Based on REACH, the following polymers are excluded from the definition of microplastic:

Polymers that are the result of a polymerisation process that has taken place in nature, regardless of the process used to extract them, and which are not chemically modified substances
Polymers that are demonstrably degradable in accordance with Appendix 15 of Regulation (EU) No 2055/2023
Polymers that demonstrably have a solubility above 2 g/l in accordance with Appendix 16 of Regulation (EU) No 2055/2023

flustix PLASTICS-FREE – Product Content Microplastic-Free

To the microplastic-free page

The full certification programmes

The detailed definitions and all requirements for certification are set out in the respective certification programmes.

Questions about the definitions?

Let's classify your product together

Whether a material counts as plastic and which threshold applies to your product category, we clarify that in a first call, free of charge and specific to your range.

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