Plastic containers: HDPE

P.Y.99, which is derived from the anthraquinone structure, is produced in Japan. It affords very reddish shades of yellow, even redder but at the same time distinctly duller than those of P.Y.83. P.Y.99 is recommended especially for use in textile printing but is also used in plastics. Although HDPE systems are heat stable up to 300°C, they noticeably lack tinctorial strength. 1/3 SD HDPE samples containing 1% TiOz are formulated at 0.53% pigment. 

A typical container closure system is a plastic (usually HDPE) bottle with a screw-on or snap-off closure and a flexible packaging system, such as a pouch or a blister package. A typical closure consists of a cap — often with a liner — frequently with an inner seal. If used, fillers, desiccants, and other absorbent materials are considered primary packaging components. 

Changing from one plastic container to another of the same type of plastic (e.g., high density polyethylene (HDPE) container to another HDPE container). 

LDPE and PTFE are manufactured by processes involving little contact with metals, and should not be a major source of aluminum. On the other hand, HDPE and PP have similar manufacturing processes, based on catalysis, that involve aluminum, among other metals. The contamination risk may therefore be very high. In addition, the manufacture of the container itself can lead to aluminum contamination, considering the use of lubricants, stabilizers and other additives. For example, metal soaps, such as aluminum, magnesium, sodium, and tin, were sanctioned by the FDA to be used as stabilizers in plastic containers for parenteral nutrition solutions [76]. 

The ability of a container closure system to protect against moisture can be ascertained by performing the USP (661) water vapor permeation test. The USP sets limits on the amount of moisture that can penetrate based upon the size and composition of the plastic components [HDPE, LDPE, or polyethylene terephthal-ate (PET)]. 

The thermal degradation of waste HDPE can be improved by using suitable catalysts in order to obtain valuable products. However, this method suffers from several drawbacks. The catalysts are deactivated by the deposition of carbonaceous residues and Cl, N compounds present in the raw waste stream. Furthermore, the inorganic material contained in the waste plastics tends to remain with the catalysts, which hinders their reuse. These reasons necessitate a relatively high purity of waste plastics, containing very low concentrations of a contaminant. Thus, various pretreatments are required to remove all the components that may negatively affect the catalyst. 

Drop impact resistance of fluid-filled plastic containers is of considerable concern to containers manufacturers as well as distribution industries using the containers for transportation of various liquids. This is due to potential failure of the containers following the drop impact and subsequent spillage of the transported liquid, and consequent safety and economical Issues. In this work, a series of drop impact experiments is conducted on water filled bottles made of blow moulded high-density polyethylene (HDPE). During experiments, pressure and strain histories are recorded at various positions. The experiments are then simulated numerically. 

When plastics are recycled, the various types must be separated from one another. To aid in the separation, many states require manufacturers to include a recycling symbol on their products to indicate the type of plastic. You are probably familiar with these symbols, which are found on the bottom of plastic containers. The symbols consist of three arrows around one of seven numbers an abbreviation below the symbol indicates the type of polymer from which the container is made. The lower the number in the middle of the symbol, the greater is the ease with which the material can be recycled 1 (PET) stands for poly(ethylene terephthalate), 2 (HDPE) for high-density polyethylene, 3 (V) for poly(vinyl chloride), 4 (LDPE) for low-density polyethylene, 5 (PP) for polypropylene, 6 (PS) for polystyrene, and 7 for all other plastics. 

Coextrusion to form an effective barrier layer has been used by Plysu Containers Limited and Reed Plastic Containers, both producing tough solvent-resistant containers. The five-layer construction used by Plysu has HDPE both on the inside and outside, and a central barrier layer with adhesive layers on either side to allow lamination to HDPE. The Reedpac range of blow-molded containers developed by Reed Plastic Containers have polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, or PET combined with barrier resins such as polyamide, PVDC, and EVOH polymer. 

Coextrusion blow molding is often used to produce multilayer plastic containers. A multilayer parison is produced, and subsequent operations are identical to ordinary blow molding. Reuse of flash is more difficult since it will be multilayer. In many cases, the flash is used in an inner layer in the container, either alone or combined with other recycled plastic. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) laundry product bottles, for example, routinely are made with a three-layer structure in which the inner layer contains flash blended with postconsumer recycled HDPE. 

Collection of rigid plastic containers (RPC) shows that there is a large constituent beside milk and soda bottles which will be deposited in a recycling bin. A study of the Sayerville, NJ curbside collection program, where plastics accepted included "any plastic bottle or container from which a product is poured," shows HDPE that would be collected in addition to only milk and water bottles (Table 2.5). 

Collection times were also recorded in the Minneapolis area pilot to assess the additional time required based of the plastic types collected and the vehicle type. The times recorded for each of the route/truck combinations are shown in Table 4.5. The additional time to collect plastics varied from 3-11 seconds per setout of recyclables, with clear HDPE and PET soda bottle collection requiring the least time and rigid plastic containers requiring the most time. When adjusting the time to collect plastics to only households which set plastics out, the collection time per setout is as shown in Table 4.6. The differences ate not large and range from 9-15 seconds. There is also no pattern between the level of plastic collection and the time per setout. For example, two clear HDPE and PET soda bottle programs required 9 and 13 seconds, and all plastic bottle collection required 10 and 12 seconds. 

Procto Gamble HDPE 20 - 30% recycle in multiple detergent and fabric softener containers produced using coextiusion. Supplier companies are Plastipak Packaging, Owens-Brockway Plastic Products and Continental Plastic Containers... 

All rigid plastic containers accepts films separated out and separated clear and colored HDPE will accept mixed bales if HDPE bales go to them also, but not alone... 

As technology developed to better handle this and other contamination issues, and as pressure to recycle plastics moimted, HDPE milk bottle recycHng expanded and many programs began to included nonmilk bottle HDPE containers. Now the majority of curbside and drop-off collection programs for recyclables include blow-molded HDPE bottles as one of the materials collected. The recychng rate for HDPE milk and water bottles in the United States in 1996 was 30.8% according to the U.S. 

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