<p>Every year, over 400 million tons of plastics are produced worldwide, and this figure is rising. The associated environmental problems, such as the impact on ecosystems and the resulting greenhouse gas emissions, necessitate the sustainable management of this material flow. This can be achieved by ensuring that as much of the material as possible is quality-controlled and thus kept safely within the economic cycle. The standard VDI 4095 is intended to contribute to increasing the use of recycled materials. It provides information for recycling plastics and summarizes the options available for evaluating recycling, for example in comparison to linear processes. It provides an overview of all phases of the plastics cycle, from the extraction of raw materials from fossil or biogenic sources to the production and processing of plastics, the use phase, and the subsequent return to the production cycle or disposal. The standard standardizes key terms and compiles existing definitions of relevant terms. The aim is to promote the uniform use of terms and definitions in the market for recycled materials, considering the existing legal definitions. The overarching goal of compiling legal requirements and defining uniform terms, recycling qualities, and recycling techniques is to strengthen the market for plastic recyclates. The new standard is aimed at all players in the plastics cycle and will include recommendations for action to simplify their work and remove obstacles.</p>