Type: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET, PETE)

Properties: Clarity, strength, toughness, barrier to gas and moisture.

Common Packaging Applications: Soft drink, water and salad dressing bottles; peanut butter and jam jars
Type: High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

Properties: Stiffness, strength, toughness, resistance to moisture, permeability to gas.

Common Packaging Applications: Milk, juice and water bottles; yogurt and margarine tubs; trash and retail bags.
Type: Polyvinyl Chloride (V)

Properties: Versatility, clarity, ease of blending, strength, toughness.

Common Packaging Applications: Juice bottles; cling films
Type: Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)

Properties: Ease of processing, strength, toughness, flexibility, ease of sealing, barrier to moisture.

Common Packaging Applications: Frozen food bags; squeezable bottles, e.g. honey, mustard; cling films; flexible container lids.
Type: Polypropylene (PP)

Properties: Strength, toughness, resistance to heat, chemicals, grease and oil, versatile, barrier to moisture.

Common Packaging Applications: Reusable microwaveable ware; kitchenware; yogurt containers; margarine tubs; microwaveable disposable take-away containers; disposable cups and plates.
Type: Polystyrene (PS)

Properties: Versatility, clarity, easily formed

Common Packaging Applications: Egg cartons; disposable cups, plates, trays and cutlery; disposable take-away containers; yogurt and margarine containers
Type: Other

Properties: Dependent on polymers or combination or polymers.

Common Packaging Applications: Beverage bottles; baby milk bottles.

HDPE Plastics

Filed under HDPE, Plastics

Ubiquitous in every day life and accounting for the bulk of material used to create milk bottles, laundry detergent bottles, and margarine tubs, it may surprise some readers to learn that HDPE plastic actually begins life as thick black crude oil pumped ou …

Post Consumer Scrap HDPE

Filed under Glossary, HDPE

Scrap HDPE is a booming market, and in many cases, demand far outstrips supply. Scrap HDPE is sought after and imported and exported around the world. Some North American manufacturers have even been known to import scrap HDPE from as far afield as Europe  …