Plastics and rubber materials are both made from the same families of polymers. The polymers are mixed with a complex blend of materials known as additives. Rubbers are elastomers, these are polymers with an elastic property. This elasticity differentiates rubbers from plastics
Article 8 of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive 94/62/EC defines the marking and identification of packaging materials. The identification of the nature of the packaging material facilitates collection, reuse, recovery and recycling of packaging.