ISO 1043-1:2011 defines abbreviated terms for the basic polymers used in plastics, symbols for components of these terms, and symbols for special characteristics of plastics. It includes only those abbreviated terms that have come into established use and its aim is both to prevent the occurrence of more than one abbreviated term for a given plastic and to prevent a given abbreviated term being interpreted in more than one way. Guidance for the preparation of new abbreviated terms, reference lists of symbols for the components of plastics terms used to form the abbreviated terms for plastics, and a classification of abbreviated terms for polymers grouped by type are given in annexes.