PLASTICS IDENTIFICATION FLOW CHART

PLASTIC MATERIAL

SOFTENS PRESS A HEATED METAL TIP DOES NOT SOFTEN

THERMOPLASTIC THERMOSETTING
AGAINST THE SAMPLE

FLOATS DROP A SMALL SINKS BURN A SMALL

SAMPLE IN WATER SAMPLE

POLYOLEFINS ALL OTHERS SELF-EXTINGUISHING CONTINUES TO BURN

MATERIAL MELAMINE PHENOL UREA UNSATURATED SILICONE EPOXY

FORMALDEHYDE FORMALDEHYDE FORMALDEHYDE POLYESTER
BURN A SMALL BURN A SMALL
SAMPLE SAMPLE COLOUR YELLOW WITH YELLOW YELLOW WITH YELLOW WITH BRIGHT YELLOW YELLOW
GREEN/BLUE
OF FLAME BLUE TIP EDGE BLUE EDGES

ODOUR FISH LIKE PHENOL FORMALDEHYDE FISH LIKE PHENOL PUNGENT

AMINE

OTHER SWELLS & MAY OR MAY SWELLS & BLACK SMOKE CONTINUES BLACK SMOKE
NOT BE SELF
FEATURES CRACKS EXTINGUISHING CRACKS WITH SOOT TO BURN

NO FLAMES CONTINUES TO BURN SELF-EXTINGUISHING

DRIPS DRIPS DRIPS

YES NO YES NO YES NO

MATERIAL PE PP TPX CTFE FLOURO

POLYMERS
PS HIPS SAN ABS PMMA POM CELLU- PET POLY-
URETHANES
NYLON POLY-
SULPHONE
POLY-
CARBONATE
PPE PVC
LOSICS (TPUR)

COLOUR BLUE WITH BLUE WITH BLUE DOES NOT DOES NOT YELLOW YELLOW YELLOW YELLOW YELLOW YELLOW YELLOW YELLOW YELLOW BLUE WITH ORANGE ORANGE ORANGE OR YELLOW
YELLOW TIP YELLOW TIP BURN BURN WITH WITH BLUE YELLOW TIP OR YELLOW WITH GREEN
OF FLAME SPARKS EDGES YELLOW EDGES

ODOUR PARAFFIN ACRID OR

DIESEL
ACETIC STYRENE STYRENE
AND
STYRENE
AND
BITTER
AND
METHY-
LATED
FORMALD VINEGAR BURNING BURNT
WOOL OR
ODOUR OF
SULPHUR
PHENOL PHENOL HYDRO-
CHLORIC
ACID ODOUR EHYDE RUBBER
FUMES RUBBER BITTER RUBBER SPIRITS HAIR ACIRD

SPEED OF FAST SLOW FAST NOT

APPLICABLE
NOT
APPLICABLE
FAST FAST FAST SLOW FAST SLOW FAST FAST FAST SLOW FAST SLOW SLOW DOES NOT
BURN
BURNING

OTHER SCRATCHES
WITH
DOES NOT
SCRATCH
WATER NOT
APPLICABLE
NOT
APPLICABLE
DENSE
SMOKE
BLACK
SMOKE
BLACK
SMOKE
BLACK
SMOKE
NO NO BLACK
SMOKE
BLACK
SMOKE
SLIGHT BUBBLES BLACK
SMOKE
BLACK
SMOKE
DIFFICULT WHITE
FEATURES FINGER NAIL WITH CLEAR WITH SOOT WITH SOOT WITH SOOT WITH SOOT SMOKE SMOKE WITH SOOT WITH SOOT
BLACK AT FLAME
WITH SOOT WITH SOOT
TO IGNITE ACRID
FINGER NAIL SMOKE FRONT SMOKE