Types of Plastic

Plastic Barrels

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What are the different types of plastic?

There are a large variety of plastics available. Although they might all look similar.. for those in the plastic business sometimes even the smallest type of containmination of another material in plastic can cause a lot of big problems, this includes shutting down production and even product recalls.

Sometimes it's very difficult to determine what type of plastic it is just by looking at it, there are a few tests in a lab environment that will determine 100% what plastic or polymer compound you have, and a few things below that will help you determine what it is.

Plastic materials have a wide range of synthetic or semi synthetic organic compounds that can be molded into solid objects. Plastic is mostly made out of petrochemicals but many are also made from renewable materials such as polylactic acid, corn cellulosics or cotton cellulosics.

Types Of Plastic

Plastic Comes in many different mixes but there are the most common types and what they are used for.

Plastic #1-PETE or PET stands for Polyethylene Terephthalate. This type of plastic is typically picked up by most curbside recycling centers, it's usually clear and used to make soda or water bottles and much more.

Plastic #2-HDPE or High Density Polyethylene. This plastic is found in various household and industrial grade containers like milk jugs, household cleaners, juice bottles, shampoo bottles, butter tubs, detergent bottles, plastic picnic tables, buckets, drums and much more.

Plastic #3- V or PVC stands for Vinyl. This type of plastic is used to make things like food wraps, plumbing pipes, panelling, flooring, speed bumbs, and roadway guttersand much more

Plastic #4-LDPE or Low Density Polyethylene. This type of plastic is found in shopping bags, frozen food bags, bread bags, trash can liners and much more.

Plastic #5-PP or Polyproylene. Polypro is typically found in food containers, yogurts, ketchup bottles, syrup bottles, medicine bottles, ice scrapers, signal lights, and much more.

Plastic #6-PS or Polystyrene. This type of plastic is found in company disc cases, egg and meat cartons, disposable plates, cups, foam packaging and insulation and more.

Plastic #7-Other, Miscellaneous. All of the plastics that don't fit into the above categories are labelled as #7. They are often a mix bag of the above plastics which include polycarbonate. They can be found in plastic lumber, and custom made products such as bulletproof materials, iPod cases, computer cases and much more.

Source, and More Info

A Solution to Plastic Industrial Waste

If you are trying to find a solution to your industrial waste problems please contact us for more information. If you are unsure what type of plastic you have available for purchase, please send us a photo and estimate volumes and we will determine what you have and send you a quote.

Feel free to contact us, if you had any questions or comments at info@meltechplastics.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

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