ISO 16620-4:2024

Plastics — Biobased content — Part 4: Determination of biobased mass content

This document specifies a method of determining the biobased mass content in plastics products, based on the radiocarbon analysis and elemental analysis. This document is applicable to plastic products and plastic materials, polymer resins, monomers or additives, which are made from biobased and/or fossil-based constituents. This method can be applied provided that the plastic product contains the element carbon and that a statement giving its elemental composition and its biobased carbon content is available.

Plastiques — Teneur biosourcée — Partie 4: Détermination de la teneur en masse biosourcée

L'ISO 16620-4:2016 spécifie une méthode de détermination de la teneur en masse biosourcée dans les produits plastiques, basée sur l'analyse au radiocarbone et l'analyse élémentaire. L'ISO 16620-4:2016 s'applique aux produits plastiques et aux matériaux plastiques, aux résines polymères, aux monomères ou aux additifs qui sont fabriqués à partir de constituants biosourcés ou d'origine fossile. La présente méthode s'applique à condition que le produit plastique contienne l'élément carbone et qu'une déclaration indiquant sa composition élémentaire et sa teneur en masse biosourcée soit disponible.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 27-Feb-2024
• ICS: 83.080.01 - Plastics in general
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 61/SC 14 - Environmental aspects
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 61/SC 14 - Environmental aspects
• Current Stage: 6060 - International Standard published
• Start Date: 28-Feb-2024
• Due Date: 21-Sep-2024
• Completion Date: 28-Feb-2024

Standards Content (Sample)

International
Standard
ISO 16620-4
Second edition
Plastics — Biobased content —
2024-02
Part 4:
Determination of biobased mass
content
Plastiques — Teneur biosourcée —
Partie 4: Détermination de la teneur en masse biosourcée
Reference number
© ISO 2024
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ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms, definitions, symbols and abbreviated terms . 1
3.1 Terms and definitions .1
3.2 Symbols .1
3.3 Abbreviated terms .2
4 Principle . 2
4.1 Product groups .2
4.2 Group I products .2
4.3 Group II products .3
4.4 Natural constituents.3
4.5 Monomers and additives .3
5 Rules for allocation of elements . 3
6 Group I products . 4
6.1 Statement . . .4
6.2 Sampling .4
6.3 Determination of the biobased carbon content and elemental composition .4
6.3.1 Procedure .4
6.3.2 Variability of test results .5
6.4 Validation criteria of the biobased mass content .5
6.5 Examples of application of the decision scheme .6
6.6 Test report .7
7 Group II products . 8
7.1 Statement . . .8
7.2 Sampling .8
7.3 Determination of the biobased carbon content.8
7.3.1 Procedure .8
7.3.2 Variability of test results .9
7.4 Validation criteria of the biobased mass content .9
7.5 Example of application of the decision scheme .9
7.6 Test report .10
Annex A (informative) Example of format for reporting results for Group I products .11
Annex B (normative) Calculation of the biobased carbon content and biobased mass content
for Group II products .12
Annex C (informative) Example of format for reporting results for Group II products .13
Bibliography . 14

iii
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee
has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations,
governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely
with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent
rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a)
patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that
this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at
www.iso.org/patents. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 61, Plastics, Subcommittee SC 14, Environmental
aspects.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 16620-4:2016), which has been technically
revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— the Scope was editorially revised;
— the Normative references have been updated;
— 6.3.1 “Procedure” has been revised;
— the Bibliography has been updated.
A list of all parts in the ISO 16620 series can be found on the ISO website.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.

iv
Introduction
Increased use of biomass resources for manufacturing plastics products contributes to both reduction of
global warming and conservation of fossil resources.
Current plastics products are composed of biobased synthetic polymers, fossil-based synthetic polymers,
natural polymers and additives that can include biobased materials.
“Biobased plastics” refer to plastics that contain materials wholly or partly of biogenic origin.
In the ISO 16620 series, the “biobased content” of biobased plastics refers to the amount of the biobased
carbon content, the amount of the biobased synthetic polymer content or the amount of the biobased mass
content only.
v
International Standard ISO 16620-4:2024(en)
Plastics — Biobased content —
Part 4:
Determination of biobased mass content
1 Scope
This document specifies a method of determining the biobased mass content in plastics products, based on
the radiocarbon analysis and elemental analysis.
This document is applicable to plastic products and plastic materials, polymer resins, monomers or additives,
which are made from biobased and/or fossil-based constituents.
This method can be applied provided that the plastic product contains the element carbon and that a
statement giving its elemental composition and its biobased carbon content is available.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 16620-1, Plastics — Biobased content — Part 1: General principles
ISO 16620-2, Plastics — Biobased content — Part 2: Determination of biobased carbon content
EN 17351, Bio-based products — Determination of the oxygen content using an elemental analyser
3 Terms, definitions, symbols and abbreviated terms
3.1 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO 16620-1 apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.2 Symbols
C carbon isotope with an atomic mass of 14
C symbol for element carbon
H symbol for element hydrogen
N symbol for element nitrogen
O symbol for element oxygen
m biobased mass content, expressed as a percentage of the total mass of sample
B
x biobased carbon content, expressed as a percentage of the total mass of the sample
B
TC
x total carbon content, expressed as a percentage of the total mass of the sample
TH
x total hydrogen content, expressed as a percentage of the total mass of the sample
TN
x total nitrogen content, expressed as a percentage of the total mass of the sample
TO
x total oxygen content, expres
...