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DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD  
 
 
 
TBS/ GTDC 4 (6549)  P3 Flexible Plastic  Packaging  Materials - Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Flexible Plastic Packaging Materials – Specification  
 
1   Scope  
 
This draft Tanzania Standard specifies requirements for flexible plastic packaging materials.  This draft 
standard covers the thickness and printing requirement  of these plastic packaging materials . 
 
This draft standard  does  not cover woven  and non -woven plastic material s.  
 
This draft standard cover exempted flexible plastic packaging materials and  flexible plastic material used 
in other application other than packaging as prescribed by  the National  environmental legislations . 
 
2   Normative references  
 
The following sta ndards contain provisions, which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of 
this Tanzania S tandard. All standards are subject to revision and, since any reference to the standard is 
deemed to be a reference to the latest edition of that stan dard, parties to agreements based on this 
Tanzania S tandard are encouraged to ensure the use of most recent edition of the standard indicated 
below.  
 
TZS 928:2006/ISO 4593:1993 (E)/SANS 4591 , Plastics – Film and sheeting – Determination of avera ge 
thicknes s of a sample, and average thickness and yield of a roll, by gravimetric techniques (gravimetric 
thickness) ; 
 
TZS 4:1979 , Rounding off numerical values ; 
 
ASTM D 3826:1998 , Standard practice for determining degradation end point in degradable polyethylene 
and poly propylene, using a tensile test;  
 
ASTM D 5208:2001 , Standard practice for operating fluorescent ultraviolet (UV) and condensation 
apparatus for exposure of photodegradable plastics.  
 
TZS 928:2006 -ISO 4593/SANS 4591 , Plastics – Film and sheeting – Determination of average thickness 
of a sample, and average thickness and yield of a roll, by gravimetric techniques (gravimetric thickness)  
 
ISO 472, Plastics —Vocabulary  
 
ISO  4591, Plastics —Film and sheeting —Determination of average thickness of a sampl e, and average 
thickness and yield of a roll, by gravimetric techniques (gravimetric thickness)  
 
ISO 7765 -2, Plastics film and sheeting —Determination of impact resistance by the free -falling dart 
method —Part 2: Instrumented puncture test  
 
D4397 -10 Standa rd Specification for Polyethylene Sheeting for Construction, Industrial, and Agricultural 
Applications . 
 
D4635 -08a Standard Specification for Polyethylene Films Made from Low -Density Polyethylene for 
General Use and Packaging Applications . 
 
D4801 -08 Standa rd Specification for Polyethylene Sheeting in Thickness of 0.25 mm [0.010 in.] and 
Greater  
D5047 -09 Standard Specification for Polyethylene Terephthalate Film and Sheeting  
 
 
 
 
 
  
3   Definitions   
 
For the purposes of this draft Tanzania Standard, the follow ing definitions shall apply:  
 
3.1 Film 
 
Thin planar  product of arbitrarily limited maximum thickness, the thickness being very small compared to 
the le ngth and width.  
 
3.2 Sheet  
 
Thin, generally  plane product in which thickness is small compared to the len gth and width  
 
NOTE-It can be made in continuous lengths and be supplied in roll form  
 
3.3 Laminate  
 
bonding of two or more layers of one or more materials . 
 
3.4 Coat ed plastic  
 
Application of a thin layer of material in the form of a fluid or powder to a substrate  (plastic) . 
 
3.5 Metallize d plastic  
 
Plastic part or film /sheet  on which a metal has been deposited, generally by vacuum sublimation, but also 
by chemical reaction.  
 
NOTE: Metallizing by vacuum sublimation and chemical reaction generally gives dep osits about 
0.1 mm thick. The metal thickness is then commonly increased by electroplating . 
 
3.6 Flexible  plastic film  and sheets  
 
continuous  layer of flexible material, made of plastic materials  of which  are continually being developed or 
modified to enha nce specific properties to meet the  needs of the following . 
 
a. Flexible plastic films in the form of bags, sachets, pouches , tabular  and heat -sealable flexible 
lidding materials  
b. Flexible plastic films used in cling, stretch and shrink wrapping  
c. Flexible plast ic films used as liners , sheeting and  overwrapping  
d. Flexible p lastic films used as labels for bottles and jars, as flat glued labels or heat shrinkable 
sleeves  
e. Flexible p lastic bands to provide external tamper evidence  
f. Flexible plastics for diaphragms on ri gid plastics and glass jars to provide product protection and 
tamper evidence  
 
3.7 Package  
 
packaging and its content  
 
 
3.8 Packaging  
 
product to be used for the containment, protection, handling, delivery, storage, transport, and presentation 
of goods fro m raw materials to processed good, from the producer to the user or consumer, including 
processor, assembler or other intermediary.  
 
 
  
4   Requirements  
 
4.1 General  Requirements  
 
4.1.1 Flexible Plastic material  
 
The flexible plastic material  shall be mad e from fil ms and sheets that are free from defects such as gels, 
streaks, pinholes, and particles of foreign matter, in dispersed  raw materials, cuts and tears that would 
impair the performance of the material . 
 
4.1.2 Colo ur and opacity  
 
Plastics material may be coloured, printed, decorated or labelled in several ways, depending on the use. 
Alternatively, some plastic materials  are transparent , others have various  levels of transparency, and their 
surfaces can be glossy or matte . The colo ur and level of opa city of the flexible plastic material  shall be as 
agreed to between the purchaser and the supplier . Printing shall be done as per clause 5 and Table 1.   
 
4.1.3 Odour  
 
The plastic used  in manufacturing of flexible packaging material  shall not impart any obj ectionable odour.  
 
4.1.4 Construction of flexible plastic materials for films and sheets  
 
4.1.4.1 Thicknesses of flexible plastic films and sheets  
 
Based on thickness, construction of p lastic f ilms shall be defined as flexible plastic of less than 100  μm 
thick (1 micron is 0.000001 m or 1 × 10−6 m) and sheets shall be defined  as flexible plastic of up to 2 50 
μm and can be  available as a monolayer or be combined with other plastics and  other materials in 
laminates or metallized basing on the following .  
 
a. Monolayer film /sheet . The film  or sheet  that neither  metallized  nor combined with other layers  
 
b. Co-extruded film/sheet : The films /sheet  combined with other plastics by co -extrusion, blending, 
lamination and coating to achieve properties that the components co uld not provide alone. Co -
extrusion shall involve combination of layers of two or more plastics together at the point of 
extrusion. Lamination involves  combination of two or more layers of plastics combined together 
by the use of adhesives. Several  types o f coating are availab le to apply plastic coatings.  
 
c. Metallized film/sheet: The film that metallizing  with a very thin layer of aluminium.  
 
The minimum thicknesses for  flexible packaging  material  as prescribed by environmental legislations shall 
be as per T able 1 . 
 
4.1.4.2  Material  forms for flexible plastic s 
 
Construction of  flexible plastics shall involve  manufacture of the film, sheet  and the  end use of the plastic 
films/sheet .  
 
Construction of flexible plastic  package s shall be made by the use flexible plastic films or sheets through 
folding, cutting and sealing with welded seams . Flexible plastic packages shall include bags, sachets, 
pouches and heat -sealable flexible lidding films.  
 
 
4.1.4.2 M aterial types  for flexible plastic  
 
The m aterial based on m onolayer or multilayer shall be easily identified as per Clause 4.2 and the  
construction of material  shall be recyclable based on recycling  material type that may include types of 
polyethylene (PE) , polypropylene (PP) , polyesters (PET, PEN, PC) (Note: PET is referred to as PETE in 
some markets) , ionomers , ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) , polyamides (PA) , polyvinyl chloride (PVC) ,  
polyvinylidene chloride (PVdC) , polystyrene (PS) , styrene butadiene (SB) , acrylonitrile butadiene styrene 
(ABS) , ethylene vinyl alco hol (EVOH) , polymethyl pentene (TPX) , high nitrile polymers (HNP) , 
fluoropolymers (PCTFE/PTFE) , cellulose -based materials  and polyvinyl acetate (PVA) . 
 
4.2 Specific Requirements  
  
4.2.1 Dimensions  
 
The nominal thickness, width and length of flexible plasti c materials as defined in Clause 3.6 shall be 
established by mutual agreement between the purchaser and the supplier. The nominal sizes for flexible 
plastic shall  be as per exempted activity and shall meet the following requirements.  
 
4.2.2 Minimum thickne sses for exempted flexible plastic material s 
 
The minimum  thickness es for exempted flexible plastic material s shall conform to Table 1 . 
 
Table 1 Prescribed minimum  thickness for exempted flexible plastics applications  
 
S. No  Exempted f lexible plastics 
applications  Minimum  thickness  in 
micrometers  Printing requirements  
1.  Food Packaging  30 Printed  
2.  Vegetable & Fruit     30  Printed  
3.  Freezer / Vacuum Bags  40 Plain  Printed  DF (Deep Freeze ink)  
4.  Milk & Dairy  40 Printed DF  
5.  Meat, Fish, Chicken  30 Printed  DF 
6.  Medicine Safety Bags  30 Printed  
7.  Shrink Wrap  60 Plain  
8.  Animal Feed Bags  30 Printed  
9.  Construction Sheeting  70 Plain  
10.  Agriculture Sheeting  50 Printed  
11.  Laundry  30 Printed  
12.  Detergent Liners  30 Printed  
13.  Industrial Liners   30 Plain  
14.  Seed Bags   30 Plain , Printed  
15.  Spare Parts Safety Bags  50 Plain , Printed  
16.  Courier Bags   30 Plain , Printed  
17.  Warning Tapes   20 Plain  
18.  Hardware Packaging  40 Plain , Printed  
19.  Tamper proof bags  30 Printed  
 
NOTE: Plastic  flexible material for other application such as labels, shrink sleeve  shall be agreement 
between manufactures and purchaser.  
 
4.2.3 Nominal W idth 
 
The nominal width shall be as agreed between the purchaser and supplier;  however, the variation shall be 
within the tolerances of –0, +10 mm . 
 
4.2.4 Nominal Length  
 
The nominal length  shall be as agreed between the purchaser and supplier;  however, the variation shall 
be within the tolerances  of –0, +20 mm . 
  
4.2.5  Dart Impact Properties  for films and sheets  
 
When tested as per  ISO 7765 -2 the film or sheet shall not pun cture and t he dart drop impact for all 
thickness of film and sheets shall be as specified in Table 2.  
                  
         Table 2 -Dart Impact Properties for films and sheets  
 
Film Thickness μm  Drop Dart (g)  
30 to  49 140 
50 to 79  180 
80 to 100  250 
 
 
5. Printing requirements  
 
5.1 Types of ink  
 
5.1.1 Ink used for printing shall be classified as one of the following types:  
 
- Type A: Ink that is  a single resin -based  system, based  on a co -solvent polyamide.   
- Type B:  Ink that does not comply with the requirements for type A . 
 
5.1.2  When compliance with the requirements for type A ink (see  5.1.1) is claimed, the claimant shall 
supply a declaration of conformity with the requirements for type A with each consignment  or batch of 
bags.  
 
5.1.3 When dried ink is tested in accordance with 5.2, type A ink shall not exhibit any change of colo ur. 
 
5.2 Ink adhesion  
 
In case of printed packages,  the print shall remain on the package  when tested as prescribed  in Annex B.  
 
5.3 Permitted coverage of printing  
 
5.3.1 For ink of type A, the mass percentage of dried solid printed ink, relative to the mass of an unp rinted 
bag, shall not exceed 2.5 %. 
 
5.3.2 For ink of type B, the mass percentage of dried solids of printed ink, relative to the mass of 
unprinted bag, shall not exceed 1.125%.  
  
 
6   Marking  
 
The following  information shall be printed on each flexible plastic  material . 
 
a) Types of material.  
 
b) Recyclable code . 
 
c)  Thickness of the film  or sheet  (micron). 
 
d) Name of manufacturer and Trade mark .  
 
e)  Country of origin.  
 
 
      NOTE:  Markings shall either be in English,  Kiswahili or both.   
 
 
7 .Sampling  
 
Representative samples of the product for ascertaining conformity to the requirements of this draft 
Tanza nia Standard shall be drawn as prescribed in Annex C. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Annex  A 
 
(normative)  
 
Test methods  
 
 
A.1 Film thickness  
 
Measure the thickness of the plastic film using the method described in  TZS 928 -ISO 4593/ SANS 459 1, 
and check  the results for compliance with 4.6.  
 
A.2 Type of ink (nitrocellulose spot test)  
 
A.2.1  Principle  
 
A solution of diphenylamine in concentrated sulfuric acid is used to indicate the presence of nitrocellulose. 
The reagent causes an almost instant aneous formation of a dark blue colour on contact with 
nitrocellulose.  
 
CAUTION  – The substances used for this test are extremely dangerous. Gloves and safety glasses 
should be used throughout the preparation and use of this solution.  
  
A.2.2  Preparation o f test solution  
 
A.2.2.1 Carefully mix together the following ingredients in a conical flask whilst cooling the flask under 
running water:  
 
a) 0.5 g diphenylamine (C 12Hl l N); 
 
b) 10.0  g distilled water; and  
 
c) 30.0  g concentrated sulfuric acid (9 8 %).  
 
CAUTION  – Add the acid slowly to the water.  
 
A.2.2.2  Carefully add a further 60.0  g of concentrated sulfuric acid, and mix gently.  
 
A.2.2.3 Transfer the contents of the flask to a dark glass bottle , and label and date the bottle.  
 
NOTE – The solution should  have a shelf life of approximately one month. The solution will initially 
be yellow/orange colour, and it should be discarded and prepared afresh if it shows any signs of 
discoloration  (which would probably indicate a reaction with light, oxidation or con tamination).  
 
A.2.3 Procedure  
  
A.2.3.1  Place one drop of the test solution on a sample of the dried ink to be tested.  
 
A.2.3.2  Check after 3 0 seconds for any colour change.  
 
NOTE – If the colour changes to dark blue, it indicates the presence of nitrocell ulose.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Annex B  
 
(normative)  
 
Ink adhesion test  
 
 
B.1 Method   
 
B.1.1 Cut a piece of 25 mm wide pressure sensitive tape (for example, adhesion tape) about 75 mm long 
from the roll.  
 
B.1.2 Press the tape on the bag using firm finger pressure. Within 3 0 sec. of application, remove the tape 
by pulling.  
 
B.1.3 Examine for  removal.  
 
 
Annex C  
 
(normative)  
 
 Sampling  
 
C.1 Lot   
 
C.1.1  In any consignment all the plastic materials of same dimension and shape manufactured by one 
organization under the same co nditions of manufacture shall be grouped together to form a lot.  
 
C.2   Scale of sampling  
 
C.2.1 Samples shall be tested from each lot separately for ascertaining the conformity of plastic carrier 
and flat bags to the requirement s of this draft Tanzania Standard . 
 
C.2.2 The number of packets to be selected from the lot shall be in accordance with column 1 and column 
2 of table 3 .  
 
Table 3  – Scale of sampling  
 
S/No
. No. of packets  
in lot  
(1) No. of pac kets to be 
selected   
(2) No. of bags to be 
selected  
(3) Acceptance 
number  
(4) 
1 Up to 35  4 32 3 
2 36 to 150  6 48 5 
3 151 to 500  10 
 80 
 7 
4 501 to and above  16 128 10 
 
 
C.2.3 From each packet selected, eight plastics shall be drawn at random, so as to get the total number of 
plastic bags from the lot as sh own in column 3 of table 3. 
 
C.2.4 When the packets are contained in master packs, the number of master packs to be selected  shall 
be half the number given in column 2 of table 3 . Two packets shall be drawn from each master pack 
selected.  
 
C.2.5 Packets an d plastics shall be selected at random. To ensure randomness of selection, random 
number tables shall be used.    
C.3   Number of tests  
 
C.3.1 All plastic carrier and flat bags selected as in C.2.3 shall be inspected for requirements given in 4.1 
to 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  