What is postindustrial HDPE scrap? Much as the title suggests, post industrial scrap HDPE is simply HDPE that has gone unused in industrial processes. It can represent malformed products that have been rejected from a factory line, or superfluous offcuts. At one time these scraps and discarded items would have headed for the nearest landfill, but nowadays post industrial scrap HDPE is a sought after product by many manufacturers.
The challenge for people new to the business of purchasing scrap HDPE, and post industrial scrap HDPE in particular, is in knowing exactly what post industrial scrap HDPE is, and being able to distinguish it from other types of scrap HDPE.
When purchasing scrap HDPE, the delineation between Post Consumer HDPE and Post Industrial HDPE can be especially confusing, with some purveyors attempting to blur the line in order to gain a higher price for so called post industrial scrap HDPE that should really be labeled post consumer HDPE.
The main difference between post industrial and post consumer scrap HDPE, and a simple definition that can be adhered to when purchasing post industrial HDPE is simple. The category of post consumer HDPE is made up of all items of HDPE that have at some point been filled with a product, whether it be margarine, shampoo, oil, or some other substance, or that have been made use of in the function for which they were created. Post industrial scrap HDPE on the other hand, will never have been used in any capacity. It may be offcuts or remainder parts, or it may be malformed items that were produced, but discarded before being used. In any case, true post industrial scrap HDPE will never have left the factory, and will never have been sold to a consumer.
Post industrial scrap HDPE typically fetches a higher price than post consumer HDPE for a wide range of reasons, many of which are detailed below.
Why Choose Post Industrial Scrap HDPE?
Post industrial scrap HDPE is generally more highly regarded than post consumer HDPE as it is less likely to be contaminated by food products and dirt and such, so it requires less cleaning and sorting. This makes for a more streamlined and cost effective reprocessing process, and also a higher grade end product.
There are a myriad of ways that post consumer HDPE can become tainted. From the labellings applied to HDPE bottles, to additional plastic fittings, safety seals, even pieces of metal which are used for springs and caps, many contaminants can get into the HDPE stream and degrade the quality of the resulting HDPE regrind. Post consumer HDPE is therefore often lower grade, and oftentimes is colored, making for a product with limited manufacturing applications.
Post industrial scrap HDPE on the other hand will generally not have been exposed to the processes that post consumer HDPE undergoes, and so will not have been contaminated in the same fashion. The proof, as they say, is in the pudding, and post industrial HDPE products such as pellets and flakes can often be recognized by their pure translucent color, and high grade quality. Essentially, buying post industrial scrap HDPE is the closest you can get to purchasing new HDPE without paying the higher price.
For those seeking a middle of the road option, many times post industrial scrap HDPE is combined with post consumer scrap HDPE. This can produce a high grade HDPE product, but is generally speaking more doubtful than HDPE regrind, flakes, or pellets that have been produced solely from post industrial HDPE.
Post industrial Scrap HDPE Prices
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