SES N 3223 Labeling of Recycled Plastics

Developed by Suzuki Motor Corporation as part of its polymer identification/marking standards, the “SES N 3223 Marking of Recycled Plastics” standard is an automotive materials standard that specifies how recycled plastic content in polymer components used in vehicles should be identified, labeled, and marked. This standard complements previous marking standards such as SES N 3220 (material symbols) and SES N 3221 (recycling identification), but focuses specifically on the traceability of recycled materials.

The primary objective of the SES N 3223 standard is to ensure the following for plastic parts containing recycled material:

Clearly defined
Correct classification
The vehicle can be easily traced throughout its lifecycle.

This standard supports environmental goals and compliance with legal regulations in modern automotive manufacturing.

The basic requirements in the SES N 3223 standard are defined as follows:

Indication of recycled content: Plastic parts must include a label showing the following information:
Basic polymer type (e.g., PP, ABS, PA)
Percentage of recycled material

Example of marking:

>PP-R30<: Polypropylene with 30% recycled content.
>ABS-R50<: ABS with 50% recycled content.
Standardized marking format: Markings must conform to a consistent format.
It must be enclosed within symbols such as ">" and "<".
It should include the following:
Polymer abbreviation (according to ISO standards such as ISO 1043)
Use “R” to indicate recycled content.
Percentage value
Location of the marking:
The markings must be visible and durable.
They should typically be placed on surfaces that are not visible or near existing material identification markings.
It should not affect the performance or aesthetics of the piece.
Material traceability: currently enables tracking of recycled content:
Production
Assembly
Recycling of end-of-life vehicles

In the automotive industry, the SES N 3223 standard is not just a labeling rule, but also vital for sustainability, compliance, and quality control in modern vehicle production. This standard is considered important for the following reasons:

Compliance with environmental regulations: Automotive manufacturers must comply with strict regulations, such as the end-of-life vehicles directive issued by the European Union.
It requires a high level of recyclability and material recovery.
It mandates proper material identification.
This standard ensures that recycled plastics are clearly labeled to support these legal requirements.
It supports circular economy goals: The sector is shifting towards reusing materials instead of discarding them. Labeling recycled content helps:
It allows us to track how much recycled material is used.
It improves reusability in future vehicles.

Without this standard, recycled materials would be invisible in the system.

It ensures efficient recycling at the end of its life: When a vehicle is disassembled:
Recyclers must identify materials quickly.
Labels like >PP-R30< make the sorting process faster and more accurate.

Without the SES N 3223 standard,

Recycled plastics can be mixed incorrectly.
Recycling efficiency decreases.
The material value is lost.
It ensures material traceability: Automotive manufacturing involves complex supply chains. This standard enables:
Tracking the origin of recycled content.
Verification of supplier claims.

This is critical for audits, sustainability reporting, and quality assurance.

It protects product quality and safety: Recycled plastics can have different mechanical and thermal properties. Engineers need to know this:
Whether a part contains recycled material
How much recycled content is there

This helps prevent unexpected malfunctions and potential performance inconsistencies.

It supports sustainability goals for original equipment manufacturers: Automobile manufacturers have ambitious carbon dioxide and sustainability targets. This standard helps:
Measuring the recycled content in vehicles.
Reporting on environmental performance.

Without marking, these targets cannot be accurately verified.

Industry-wide standardization: Using a unified marking system (compliant with ISO 1043 standard) ensures the following:
It eliminates confusion among suppliers.
It ensures global consistency.
It reduces errors in production and recycling.

In conclusion, the SES N 3223 standard creates transparency, traceability, and consistency for recycled plastics in vehicles. This standard ensures:

Legal compliance
Efficient recycling
Reliable product performance.
Measurable sustainability progress

Without this standard, controlling, verifying, and optimizing the use of recycled plastics in automotive applications would be difficult. This standard plays a crucial role in modern automotive manufacturing by providing clear definitions of recycled plastics. It strengthens sustainability efforts, increases recycling efficiency, and ensures transparency throughout the vehicle lifecycle.

For many years, our organization, with its competent and experienced team, has been understanding the needs of its clients, providing the advanced testing services they require, and assisting them in the establishment, implementation, and improvement of management systems. Within this framework, we also provide testing services compliant with the SES N 3223 standard.