However, in many cases, scrap HDPE is still underutilized in manufacturing today. Ideally scrap HDPE could be used for the manufacturing of almost all products besides those which come in contact with foodstuffs. Scrap HDPE has been declared unfit as a material for packaging which contains foodstuffs as a result of the perceived risk of contamination that could possibly have taken place during the life of the HDPE prior to being recycled.

So then, why is scrap HDPE not being used in more applications? The problem is not the processing of scrap HDPE, or the willingness of manufacturers to use it in their products, rather it is access to the scrap HDPE itself. Many businesses make use of post industrial scrap HDPE, which largely comes in the form of offcuts from the manufacturing operations of other companies. However, the largest potential source of scrap HDPE is post consumer scrap HDPE, that is, HDPE products such as milk bottles, shampoo and conditioner bottles, whipped topping tubs, the list goes on. Many thousand tonnes of HDPE products are newly produced per year, however not nearly enough of them are making it back into the recycling programs that could turn HDPE refuse into new HDPE products.

It is not only traditional manufacturers who seek to use scrap HDPE in their products either. Environmentalists, and green companies are also turning to scrap HDPE as a source of raw material. Recycling HDPE products, especially post consumer products such as shampoo bottles, detergent bottles, fabric softener bottles, and milk bottles saves tonnes of landfill space every year. It is still lamentably true however, that much of the HDPE products produced in North America will not be turned over for recycling, and will find their way into landfills, exacerbating the environmental problems that the USA, much like many other countries, faces on a day to day basis.

Recycling education programs have been in place since the 90’s, and since that time there has been a steady increase in the volume of recycled material that is collected from consumers. There are still some areas of confusion however, as over the years demands for various types of plastics increase, and plastics that were once deemed unrecyclable become recyclable, keeping the consumer informed and motivated to set their discarded HDPE products out for recycling is an important concern for all members of the supply chain.

An additional problem facing the scrap HDPE market is collection. Efficient recycling programs are in place in many urban environments, but there are still swathes of the country where there are few recycling facilities, and no kerbside collection services. Consumers can hardly be expected to make special trips to recycle their plastics, so it is vital that local government bodies take the lead when it comes to setting up programs for the collection of plastics.

If local government will not step up to the recycling plate, there is an opportunity for private enterprise to provide consumers with bins for their plastics, and scheduling a weekly pick up. For this outlay, a private enterprise can reasonably expect to make a sizable profit on plastics which are discarded and can be collected for simply the cost of collection, and can then be on sold at a profit as either baled scrap HDPE, or processed into scrap HDPE flake or regrind.
Post consumer scrap HDPE is perhaps the ideal recycling model, and an answer to not only the problems of environmentalists, but also of consumers and manufacturers alike. Making use of post consumer HDPE protects the environment, cuts costs for the manufacturer, and can also save the consumer money in the long run, as manufacturers are able to price their products at a lower rate due to the savings they have made by using post consumer scrap HDPE.

Post Consumer Scrap HDPE Prices

To get a list of currently available post consumer HDPE Scrap supply and prices please contact us by using the below form

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HDPE:
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is used for many packaging applications such as snack food packages and cereal box liners, in bottle form as milk and non-carbonated beverage bottles and in injection-molded tub form, for packaging margarine, whipped toppings and deli foods. HDPE has good chemical resistance, because of that it is also used for as packaging for industrial chemicals such as detergents, bleach and acids.

HDPE Pellets:
HDPE resin pellets are small granules usually in shape of a cylinder or a disk with a diameter of a few milimeters. These High Density Polyethylene particles are industrial raw material transported to manufacturing sites where consumer products are made by re-melting the granules and molding them into final products.

HDPE Pellets use:
High Density Polyethylene pellets are used as raw material in production of end user products made from HDPE plastic. Four processes which take HDPE pellets as input are:

HDPE Injection molding: Plastic pellets or granules are fed from a hopper into the heating chamber. An extrusion screw pushes the HDPE pellets through the heating chamber, where the mechanical work and hot sidewalls melt the plastic. Material is softened into a fluid state then at the end of this chamber, the resin is forced at high pressure into a cooled, closed mold. When the HDPE cools to a solid state, the mold opens and the finished product is ejected. This process is used to make products such as yogurt containers, butter tubs, closures and fittings.

HDPE Blow molding: This is a process used in conjunction with extrusion or injection molding. In one form, extrusion blow molding, the procedure forms a continuous half-molten tube of thermoplastic material. A cooled mold is clamped around the tube and compressed air is blown into the tube to conform the tube to the interior of the mold and to solidify it. The goal is to make a uniform melt, form it into a tube with the required cross section and blow it into exact shape of the product. The process is used to make hollow HDPE products and its main advantage is the ability to produce hollow shapes without having to join two or more separately injection molded parts. This method is used to make products such as milk bottles and commercial drums. Another blow molding technique is to injection mold an intermediate shape called a preform and then heat it and blow the heat-softened HDPE into the final shape in a cooled mold. This is the process to make soft drink bottles.

HDPE Extrusion: HDPE pellets or granules are first loaded into a hopper, then fed into an extruder, which is a long heated chamber, through which the HDPE is moved by the action of a continuously revolving screw. The material is melted by a combination of heat from the mechanical work done and by the hot chamber wall metal. At the end of the chamber, the molten plastic is forced out through a small opening to shape the finished product. As the HDPE product extrudes from the opening, it is chilled by air or water. Plastic bags and films are made by extrusion manufacturing.

HDPE Rotational Molding: This process consists of a closed mold mounted on a machine capable of rotation on two axes simultaneously. HDPE pellets are placed in the mold, which is then heated in an oven to melt. Rotation around both axes distributes the molten HDPE into a uniform coating on the inside of the mold until the part is set by cooling. This process is used to make hollow products like kayaks or large toys.

Price of HDPE Pellets:
If you are looking for HDPE pellets price or a list of HDPE suppliers, please fill out the form below and we will send you more information.

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HDPE Use:
In HDPE Film form it is used for snack food packaging and cereal box liners. In blow molded HDPE form it is used for non carbonated drink bottles. In injection molded form, it is mostly used for margarine tubs, deli food and whipped toppings. High Density Polyethylene is also used as detergent bottles, milk jugs, garbage containers, water pipes (plumbing) as well as packaging for industrial chemicals such as detergents, bleach and acids.

General uses of HDPE include bread trays, films for grocery sacks, bottles for beverages and household chemicals and injection-molded beverage cases.

Scrap HDPE:
In essence Scrap HDPE is recyclable waste consisting of only High Density Polyethylene. It comes all sorts of shapes, forms and colors. The better it is sorted and cleaned, the more it is worth on the recycle market. Some popular forms of HDPE Scrap are:

• postconsumer HDPE Scrap (A finished HDPE material that would normally be discarded as a solid waste after having completed its life cycle as a consumer item)
• HDPE film trimmings (scrap from carrier)
• HDPE bags (carrier bags made of HDPE. They come in colors: natural, white, mixed, printed and unprinted)
• HDPE Regrind (HDPE carrying bags and similar, converted into hard solid structure then grinded and made ready for recycling)
• Scrap HDPE bottles
• HDPE barrels and drums (also named HDPE canes, HDPE tanks. Those are empty “barrels” made of HDPE. They can be squashed and mounted on palletes or in original form – which is unpractical.)
• HDPE mixed postconsumer scrap (includes everything and anything made of High Density Polyethylene. HDPE mixed post consumer scrap can be sorted by color)

HDPE Scrap forms:
High Density PolyEthylene Scrap comes in various forms. It can be baled, loose, compacted into secure bundles (cubicles), rolls, grinded into flakes, etc.

Scrap HDPE prices:
To get the current price list of Scrap HDPE and available options, please fill out the contact form on the bottom of this page.

HDPE Scrap Suppliers:
Please fill out the contact form below and we will send you a list of currently available suppliers.

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HDPE:
It is an abbreviation for High Density Poly Ethylene.

Post Consumer Regrind (PCR):
PCR is post consumer plastic products that have been recycled, this means they are ground down to be re-used in manufacturing of new products made of the material in question. Level of grinding can be between 25-100%.

HDPE post consumer regrind is recycled High Density Poly Ethylene cut into small pieces. The HDPE regrind can be sorted by color or mixed. HDPE plastic regrind made by HDPE processors should be ideally loaded directly into a wash system and processed completely into a finished product.

If the HDPE regrind has to be stored, it should be ground directly into and stored in gaylords. Gaylords are extra heavy duty boxes that are mounted on pallets for shipping loose items. They have about one cubic yard in volume and are capable of holding HDPE flakes in the range of 600-1000 pounds. The gaylords should be fastened on shipping pallets to maintain their integrity during handling, storage, and transport.

HDPE regrind use:
Generally natural HDPE regrind is used in high value end-use applications (such as clear, blown film). It requires higher quality especially with regard to injection-molded HDPE, Polypropylene, and color contamination. The quality requirements for HDPE regrind are normally more demanding than for baled HDPE.

Where to Buy or Sell HDPE Regrind:
Should you need information on where to buy or sell HDPE Regrind please use this contact form below and we will reply as soon as possible.

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