What Is Regrind?
Plastic is a popular choice for containers and packaging. Plastic is a versatile and impact-resistant material. Both manufacturers and customers look for quality in the condition of their bottles, jars, drums and more. Four main plastic conditions are available for your products: new, reconditioned, PCR and regrind material.
Regrind is a recycling process that uses extra plastic pieces, rejected parts, or unused scraps to minimize waste. This process involves chopping and grinding these pieces to repurpose them into regrind plastic containers and packaging. Business owners turn to regrind plastic for its economic and environmental benefits, using it to create a wide variety of products, including furniture, toys, and industrial packaging such as plastic paint cans and pails.
Understanding the Regrind Process for Plastic
Regrind is a process for turning regrind plastics into products via a molding process. It begins with collecting and sorting materials finishing with quality testing. This testing ensures the recycled plastic meets the needs of both customers and manufacturers.
Collection & Sorting
Regrind plastic is primarily made from plastics that were:
- Not a high enough quality to be made into new plastic or products (broken or leaking)
- Abnormally shaped tails and moils
Next, sorting occurs, and it depends on various factors, including the type of plastic, its color, size, and previous use.
Grinding Plastic
After the plastic is sorted correctly, it is ground into pellets. This happens using a plastic grinding machine. The machine features one area for inserting the plastic and another area for collecting the pellets.
Once regrind plastic is made, manufacturers use it to create containers and packaging. They can also mix it with new virgin material or resin. The process creates molded parts into in-demand industry products.
Ensuring Quality Control
It is important to keep in mind the quality of regrind plastic in its pellet form before making it into containers and packaging. If workers see clear contamination on the plastic they cannot clean off, they must identify if the pellets are safe to use. This can be something as simple as dirt and dust but can also turn into something serious such as chemical residue.
Packaging Applications of Regrind Plastic
Regrind plastic is used for a wide variety of products across industries, including:
- Automotive parts
- Piping and lumber used in construction
- Consumer goods that are not in contact with foods
- Injection-molded containers and trays
- Fibers that are stitched into clothing fabrics
In the packaging industry, two popular industrial products are made from regrind plastic: paint cans and pails.
Plastic Paint Cans
Some paint cans are made from regrind plastic, designed with a recycled polypropylene build that makes them 100% recyclable. Polypropylene is a versatile, reliable and damage-resistant plastic that does not break the bank.
Plastic Pails & Lids
Plastic pails and matching lids are other industrial items that can be made from regrind high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic. HDPE is a durable material that is well known for its versatility and chemical resistance.
Even though HDPE is an FDA Compliant plastic, The Cary Company’s regrind pails and lids are NOT FDA Compliant.
Impact of Regrind Plastic on the Environment
Due to a higher demand for sustainable processes, companies are prioritizing economical options like regrind. Regrind can reduce plastic waste, conserve resources and save energy.
Regrind Plastic Cost Benefits
One of the main reasons companies look for regrind plastics instead of new ones is cost. Buying regrind containers is cheaper and assists in a goal of cost saving. This plastic condition saves money in the short and long term without losing quality. This is because there is less virgin resin needed to create products. Another benefit to remember is that this plastic condition is fully recyclable.
Reducing Plastic Waste
Manufacturers aim to ensure that they do not contribute to the piles of plastic waste found in landfills. Regrind plastic reduces the amount of new virgin resin, with products made from either 100% regrind plastic or a 70% new virgin resin/30% regrind split.
3 Challenges & Considerations When Choosing to Regrind Plastic
Even though regrind plastic has benefits, some customers worry about using it for their products. These worries can be:
- A perceived loss in quality in comparison to new plastic
- Supply and demand
1. Quality Issues
New virgin resin may have a higher quality in appearance, versatility, strength, chemical compatibility and more.
It is also important to note that new virgin resin is a popular choice for packaging and containers to store food, while that is not the case with regrind plastic.
2. Regulatory & Standards Compliance
The quality and performance of regrind plastics must be strong enough to hold certain products. This can refer to both compatibility and the ability to have a strong structure without breaking or leaking.
When making products from regrind plastic, the main guidelines to follow are:
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The mix has to be in a range between 20 to 30% regrind plastic. The rest is new virgin resin.
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Manufacturers need to test thoroughly to ensure there is no contamination, degradation leaking, spilling or other potential issues.
3. Market Dynamics
Regrind plastic has become more popular in the last few years. This is because it is cost-effective and companies want to be more environmentally friendly.
The technology used to grind and create regrind plastic has advanced to make the process easier from start to finish.
Ready for Regrind?
The Cary Company offers regrind plastic products ranging from plastic pails and lids to all-plastic regrind paint cans.
Any questions about plastic conditions or our products? Our product specialists can answer your questions and find the right product for your business.
Give us a call at 630.629.6600 or email sales@thecarycompany.com!