US Federal Specification PPP-C-1752

Relating ETHAFOAM* Brand Polyethylene Foam Products to Federal Commercial Item Descriptions
In late 1997, the long-standing Federal Specification for polyethylene foam for packaging, PPP-C-1752 was canceled, and two Commercial Item Descriptions (CIDs) were issued to take its place.

Although there is some similarity between the CIDs and the Federal Specification they replace, the CIDs require compliance with fewer property limits, and generally have less stringent test requirements. Many government users are finding the replacement CIDs to be insufficient for their needs, so we anticipate The Dow Chemical Company will continue to receive inquiries relative to PPP-C-1752 compliance for some time. In general, the ETHAFOAM products, which were certified to meet PPP-C-1752 requirements, also meet the CID requirements. Where test data to certify to this fact is available, the product certification documents have been edited to reflect compliance with both PPP-C-1752 and the appropriate CID.

The tables below give a quick reference to which ETHAFOAM brand products fit into which classification under both the new CIDs and the former Federal Specification. Further information regarding each CID is given following the tables.

 

¹ Standard products have residual blowing agent < 100% LEL. Use "M-series" product when Procuring Activity requires residual blowing agent certification to as low as 10% LEL.
² For "M-Series" products, exception must be taken to the A-A-59136 Grade A white color requirement. Non-antistatic "M-Series" products are black in color.
³ Exception must be taken to the A-A-59136 Grade C light brown color requirement. ETHAFOAM 4101 is slightly off-white in color
⁴ Class 2 is for unfabricated plank; class 3 is for fabricated finished parts.


*Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company