C/PAP 84
Paper/cardboard + plastic + aluminium
The letter after C/ shows the predominant material: paper/cardboard. The layers cannot be separated by hand.
Typically: beverage cartons (Tetra Pak type)
Decode the recycling code on your packaging
Type the code on your packaging — PAP 21, PP 5, C/PAP 84 — and get what it is made of, mono-material or composite, and what the code cannot tell you.
Example filled in above: — type your own code over it.
- The code identifies the material — it does not promise the package gets recycled in your town.
The code identifies the material. That is all. It does not tell you whether the package gets recycled in your town — that depends on collection, sorting and streams. And when you see a leading C/, it is a composite: several bonded materials that cannot be separated by hand.
- Boxes on the flap or the side, printed small
- Bottles and jars on the bottom, usually embossed
- Pouches and films on the back, near the seal
Every code, in brief¶
One table, the same values the decoder uses. Ranges without a material are officially unassigned.
| Code | Material | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Plastic | ||
| PET 1 | Polyethylene terephthalate | Mono |
| HDPE 2 | High-density polyethylene | Mono |
| PVC 3 | Polyvinyl chloride | Mono |
| LDPE 4 | Low-density polyethylene | Mono |
| PP 5 | Polypropylene | Mono |
| PS 6 | Polystyrene | Mono |
| OTHER 7 | Other plastics | Mono |
| Paper and cardboard | ||
| PAP 20 | Corrugated fibreboard | Mono |
| PAP 21 | Non-corrugated fibreboard | Mono |
| PAP 22 | Paper | Mono |
| Metal | ||
| FE 40 | Steel | Mono |
| ALU 41 | Aluminium | Mono |
| Wood and cork | ||
| FOR 50 | Wood | Mono |
| FOR 51 | Cork | Mono |
| Textiles | ||
| COT 60 | Cotton | Mono |
| TEX 61 | Jute | Mono |
| TEX 62–69 | Other textiles | Mono |
| Glass | ||
| GL 70 | Clear glass | Mono |
| GL 71 | Green glass | Mono |
| GL 72 | Brown glass | Mono |
| Composite | ||
| C/PAP 80 | Paper/cardboard + miscellaneous metals | Composite |
| C/PAP 81 | Paper/cardboard + plastic | Composite |
| C/PAP 82 | Paper/cardboard + aluminium | Composite |
| C/PAP 83 | Paper/cardboard + tinplate | Composite |
| C/PAP 84 | Paper/cardboard + plastic + aluminium | Composite |
| C/PAP 85 | Paper/cardboard + plastic + aluminium + tinplate | Composite |
| C/LDPE 90 | Plastics + aluminium | Composite |
| C/LDPE 91 | Plastics + tinplate | Composite |
| C/LDPE 92 | Plastics + miscellaneous metals | Composite |
| C/GL 95 | Glass + plastic | Composite |
| C/GL 96 | Glass + aluminium | Composite |
| C/GL 97 | Glass + tinplate | Composite |
| C/GL 98 | Glass + miscellaneous metals | Composite |
| 99 | Other composite | Composite |
| 8–19 | — | unassigned |
| 23–39 | — | unassigned |
| 42–49 | — | unassigned |
| 52–59 | — | unassigned |
| 73–79 | — | unassigned |
| 86 | — | unassigned |
| 88 | — | unassigned |
| 89 | — | unassigned |
| 93 | — | unassigned |
| 94 | — | unassigned |
Why codes exist — and what they don't say¶
The European identification system (Decision 97/129/EC) gives packaging a shared language: each code says what the package is made of, so sorting knows what it handles. Marking is voluntary across the EU — which is why many packages carry no code at all.
But the code is not a promise. A PP 5 on a tub says “polypropylene”, not “recycled here”. The numbered triangle was drawn to identify material, not to guarantee anything — and composites like C/PAP 84 need streams that accept them specifically.
Frequently asked questions¶
What does PAP 21 mean?
Non-corrugated fibreboard — cereal boxes, medicine boxes, shoe boxes. It belongs to the paper family: PAP 20 is corrugated board, PAP 22 is paper.
What does PP 5 mean?
Polypropylene — yoghurt pots, caps, microwavable tubs. The code names only the material, not whether the package ends up recycled in your town.
What does C/PAP 84 mean?
A composite: paper/cardboard + plastic + aluminium — usually beverage cartons. The PAP letter shows paper dominates. The layers cannot be separated by hand; it recycles only in streams that accept beverage cartons.
What does ALU 41 mean?
Aluminium — drink cans, foil, trays. Mono-material: one material, clearly identified.
Do PET 1 packages get recycled?
PET means polyethylene terephthalate — drink bottles, food containers. The code identifies the material; whether it actually gets recycled depends on the local operator. Check your local rules.
Does the code mean the package gets recycled?
No. The code says what the package is made of — that is all. The numbered triangle was drawn to identify material, not as a recycling promise. The missing link is always local: collection, sorting, streams.
Why do some packages carry no code?
Because marking is voluntary across the EU: producers choose whether to print the code. The current system (Decision 97/129/EC) stays in force until 12 August 2028, when harmonised PPWR marking arrives.
PAP 20, 21 or 22 — what's the difference?
All three are paper (PAP): 20 is the corrugated board of shipping boxes, 21 the non-corrugated board of cereal boxes, 22 is paper — newspapers, books, bags.
Sources and limits¶
- Codes come from the European identification system (Decision 97/129/EC) — table read 18 September 2026, via the Wikipedia recycling codes article.
- Marking is voluntary across the EU; the system stays in force until 12 August 2028, when harmonised PPWR marking replaces it.
- The code identifies the material, not local recyclability; nonexistent combinations and unassigned numbers are flagged as such.