HDPE Recycling

HDPE Recycling

(High Density Polyethylene)

 

PE is made in 2 main types: HDPE and LDPE. It is a polyolefine. LDPE is usually a soft plastic type. It is tough, though not very strong and has a reasonable impact resistance. Making PE stronger with glass fibre is not usual practice. PE has excellent isolation properties, making it suitable for electrical isolation. Furthermore, PE is resistant against acids, bases, saltsolutions, water, alcohol and oils.

 

HDPE can be used until 105 degrees celsius and becomes breakable at minus 50 degrees celcius. 45% of all HDPE are casted into various products such as buckets, crates etc. 40% is being blowmoulded into containers or bottles. These bottles are suitable for carrying various liquids except for drink which contain carbon dioxide. The reason for this is that HDPE bottles are permeable for gasses which will cause the carbon dioxide to slip out.

 

The recycling process of HDPE bottles starts by breaking apart the bales and grinding the bottles into small flakes. Often the bottles have been separated by colour beforehand. These flakes are then washed and floated to remove any heavy (sinkable) contaminants. This cleaned flake is then dried in a stream of hot air and may be boxed and sold in that form. More sophisticated plastic plants may reheat these flakes, add pigment to change the color and run the material through a pelletizer. This equipment forms little beads of plastic that can then be reused in injection molding presses to create new products.

 

Some common end uses for recycled HDPE are plastic pipes, lumber, flower pots, trash cans, or formed back into non food application bottles.

 

Heathland searches to recycle plastics, including HDPE, in ways that are best suitable for people and environment. Recycling happens in-house and at partner companies in Europe and/or Asia. Since the market for plastic recycling is very international, often it is difficult to keep track of how and where scrap plastics are recycled. Heathland works with partners who are qualified, have sufficient certification, and have set quality standards for the circumstances in which plastic materials are processed. This way, the company can keep as much control as possible on the circumstances in which it’s plastics are recycled. If you are interested in this way of recycling, whether your company is a collector, manufacturer, servicer or end-user, please contact us for possibilities.