Composite packaging code C/PAP 83 — paper/cardboard + tinplate meaning

At a glance

What this symbol means

This code identifies an inseparable composite package made from paper or fibreboard combined with tinplate. The C/ prefix indicates composite packaging whose components are not manually separable; the letters identify the predominant material.

Read the number and abbreviation as the material identifier. The surrounding triangle can vary between labels and does not itself prove local recyclability.

Recognition

How to recognise it

Look for C/PAP 83 or the corresponding C/ prefix and number on the package or component.
The C/ prefix indicates composite packaging whose components are not manually separable; the letters identify the predominant material.
A component that can be separated by hand should normally be identified and sorted as a separate component rather than treated as one composite.

Typical applications

Where it commonly appears

paper packs with tinplate closures or layers
specialty composite packaging

Practical decision

How to sort or dispose of it

Read any local disposal wording printed next to the code.
If components can be separated by hand, sort each accepted component separately.
For inseparable packaging, use the local route for that exact format; do not infer a bin solely from the predominant material.

Before disposal or return

Empty the package.
Remove separable caps, sleeves, pumps or inserts when instructed.
Keep hazardous or medical residues in the relevant specialist route.

Avoid contamination

Common mistakes

Treating the composite as pure paper or fibreboard.

Reading the code as a recyclability guarantee.

Separating bonded layers by force when the local collection instruction does not require it.

Important limitation

What it does not mean

The code does not prescribe one universal bin. Composite collection and sorting routes vary by jurisdiction, packaging format and the predominant material.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

What does the C/ prefix mean?

It denotes composite packaging made from different materials that cannot be separated by hand.

Which material controls the letters after C/?

The abbreviation identifies the predominant material in the composite.

Which bin should I use?

Use the exact local packaging instruction. The same composite code can be handled differently by different collection systems.

Verification

Sources

EU Decision 97/129/EC — Packaging material identification systemOpen source ↗Regulation (EU) 2025/40 — Packaging and packaging wasteOpen source ↗

Sources checked 15 August 2026