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Plastic Is More Than Plastic - Do You Know the Classification?

Sep. 22, 2021

Plastics are not as simple as you might think. Each one of them is different from the others. Take the nearest plastic item to you, perhaps the lunchbox you brought from home, your water bottle, the storage box on your desk. Study it carefully and you may find a letter on the back or bottom of it. LINGBIAO tells you what they mean.

 

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

PVC is commonly used in toys, blister packaging, cling film, detergent bottles, flipchart adhesives, blood bags and medical tubing. PVC or vinyl used to be the second most widely used plastic resin in the world (after polyethylene) before the process of manufacturing and disposing of PVC was declared to pose a serious health risk and environmental pollution problem.
In terms of toxicity, PVC is considered to be the most dangerous plastic. Its use can leach a wide range of toxic chemicals.

Plastic Is More Than Plastic - Do You Know the Classification?Plastic Is More Than Plastic - Do You Know the Classification?

PVC foam sheet

 

High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

HDPE has long, almost unbranched polymer chains compared to other types, which makes them very dense and therefore stronger and thicker than PET. HDPE is commonly used as food bags, opaque milk and juice containers, shampoo bottles and medicine bottles.
Not only is it recyclable, HDPE is relatively more stable than PET. It is considered to be a safer choice for food and beverage use.

 

Polypropylene (PP)

PP is harder and more heat resistant and is widely used for hot food containers. Its strength qualities lie between those of LDPE and HDPE. In addition to being used for thermal vests and car parts, PP is also included in disposable nappies and sanitary napkin liners.
Like LDPE, PP is considered to be a safer choice of plastic for food and drink. Despite all these amazing qualities, PP is not fully recyclable and can also cause asthma and hormone disorders in humans.

Plastic Is More Than Plastic - Do You Know the Classification?Plastic Is More Than Plastic - Do You Know the Classification?

100% virgin PP coroplast corrugated sheet

 

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE)

PET is also known as wrinkle-free fibre. It is different from the plastic bags we commonly see in supermarkets. PET is mainly used for food and beverage packaging purposes as it has a high capacity to prevent oxygen from entering and damaging the product inside.
Although PET is most likely to be recycled by recycling schemes, this plastic contains antimony trioxide - a substance considered to be carcinogenic - which is capable of causing cancer in living tissue.

Plastic Is More Than Plastic - Do You Know the Classification?Plastic Is More Than Plastic - Do You Know the Classification?

Clear Transparent PET/PETG Sheet

 

Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)

LDPE polymers have significant chain branching, including long side chains, making them less dense and crystalline (structurally ordered) and therefore usually a thinner, more flexible form of polyethylene. lDPE is mostly used for bags, cling film; coating paper milk cartons and hot and cold beverage cups; some extrudable bottles, container lids.
LDPE is considered to be a safer plastic choice for food and beverage use.


Polystyrene (PS)

Polystyrene (PS) is the polystyrene foam we typically use for food containers, egg cartons, disposable cups and bowls, packaging and bicycle helmets.
When in contact with hot and oily foods, PS leaches styrene, which is considered to be a brain and nervous system poison. It may also affect the genes, lungs, liver and immune system. In addition to all these risks, PS has a very low recovery rate.

Plastic Is More Than Plastic - Do You Know the Classification?

white black colors Extruded PS sheet

 

Others

Number 7 applies to all plastics other than those identified by numbers 1-6, and to plastics that may be layered or mixed with other types of plastics (e.g. bioplastics).
Polycarbonate (PC) is the most common plastic in this category, but it has been used less often in recent years.


Don't forget to separate your waste responsibly. Don't mix organics with non-organics; separate glass from paper and plastic. It will help the recycling process! Contact us to buy different types of plastic sheets.

Plastic Is More Than Plastic - Do You Know the Classification?Plastic Is More Than Plastic - Do You Know the Classification?Plastic Is More Than Plastic - Do You Know the Classification?Plastic Is More Than Plastic - Do You Know the Classification?

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