| | Food & Drug Packaging: European Union Considers Resin Identification Code for Plastic Packaging |
 | | Although this packaging material identification system uses a numbering and abbreviation scheme that is quite similar to SPI's RIC, it does not include the triangular chasing arrows included in the American system, and uses some abbreviations for materials that are different than those used in the United States. |
 | | For example, the EU abbreviation for polyethylene terephthalate is PET (under SPI's scheme, it is PETE), and the abbreviation for polyvinyl chloride is PVC (not V as it is in the U.S.). |
 | | Because compliance with this identification system is now voluntary, member states have so far permitted the use of packaging displaying the SPI RIC code or any other type of marking, or no marking at all. |
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