Write down the full reference
Grade names help buyers and sellers communicate, but shorthand should lead to a complete specification. ReMA’s ISRI Specifications provide a common vocabulary for recycled materials and are reviewed over time. Record the reference, edition and any agreed variations rather than relying on a familiar name alone.
Separate the material description from the intended application. A shared grade label does not establish that a particular shipment meets a particular buyer’s process requirements.
Describe the shipment and the inspection
A useful enquiry identifies the material’s origin and form, relevant composition limits, permitted attachments or contamination, packaging and quantity. Photos can help explain the offer, but they do not replace an agreed sampling or inspection method.
Clarify how samples will represent the shipment, where and when inspection will occur, and how weights and results will be recorded. Document unresolved differences so that both parties are discussing the same material, not different assumptions.
Connect material and delivery
Keep the agreed material description alongside the delivery place, commercial basis and document requirements. ICC distinguishes the responsibilities addressed by Incoterms® rules from product specifications and payment terms, which require separate agreement.
For cross-border enquiries, treat material description, inspection and delivery as linked questions. Classification and shipment requirements still need their own checks for the particular route; a trade name alone does not settle them.
Sources & further reading
Research for industry discussion. Product, price and delivery terms need to be checked against the applicable documents and agreements.
Questions or corrections
