Recycling is very important for making the world a better place. Because recycling makes it easier for nature to breathe. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to recycling. However, not everything can be recycled. It is necessary to focus on products that can be recycled.
The most popular among recyclable materials is the recycling of plastic. However, it should be underlined that there are many classifications of plastic products and that each type has a separate system.

These species are; polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and similar products. It should be said that the most preferred among these products is polyethylene (PE). Because polyethylene is a substance used in many products in our daily life and obtained from original petroleum.

Today, many plastic materials are produced on a disposable basis. That's why recycling them is essential. In order to meet this requirement, many plastic recycling companies granulate these materials and offer them for reuse. In this way, both the environment is protected and the country's economy is contributed.

Polyethylene Classification
Polyethylenes are separated and classified in various ways. Density and chemical properties are taken into account while performing these classification and separation processes. In addition, its mechanical properties, crystal structure and molecular structure and weight are among the evaluation criteria.

We have briefly listed these products for you.
Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE)
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
High Density and Cross-Linked Polyethylene (HDXPE)
Cross-Linked Polyethylene (PEX)
Medium Density Polyethylene (MDPE)
Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
Linear Bonded Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE)
Very Low Density Polyethylene (VDPE)

What are the Usage Areas of Polyethylene Granule?
Polyethylene granule is one of the most preferred materials during the production phase of many plastic products and even as one of the raw materials. It has a very important place among the commonly used plastic types.
It is frequently used in many products such as detergent, shampoo, motor oil bottles, bleach, garbage bags, water treatment devices, high pressure pipes, plastic bottles, toys. Many plastic products used in homes are also produced using polyethylene granules.

What Are the Different Types of Polyethylene?
Polyethylene is commonly categorized as one of several major compounds that includes LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, and Ultra High Molecular Weight Polypropylene. Other variants include Medium Density Polyethylene (MDPE), Ultra low molecular weight polyethylene (ULMWPE or PE-WAX), High molecular weight polyethylene (HMWPE), High density cross-linked polyethylene (HDXLPE), Cross-linked polyethylene (PEX or XLPE), Multi There are low density polyethylene (VLDPE) and Chlorinated polyethylene (CPE).

What are the Properties of Polyethylene?
Now that we know what it's used for, let's examine some of the basic properties of polyethylene. PE is classified as “thermoplastic” based on the way the plastic responds to heat (as opposed to “thermoset”). Thermoplastic materials become liquid at their melting points (Polyethylene melting temperatures 110-130 degrees Celsius for LDPE and HDPE, respectively). A useful property of thermoplastics is that they can be heated to their melting point, cooled, and reheated without significant degradation. Thermoplastics such as polyethylene liquefaction allow them to be easily injection molded rather than burned. And of course it is then recycled. In contrast, thermoset plastics can only be heated once (typically during the injection molding process). Initial heating causes thermoset materials (similar to 2-part epoxy) to harden, causing an irreversible chemical change. If you try to heat the thermoset plastic to a high temperature a second time, it will burn. This property makes thermoset materials poor candidates for recycling.
The different types show wide variability in their crystal structures. The less crystalline (or amorphous) a plastic is, the more it tends to soften slowly; that is, it will have a wider range between plastic and glass transition temperatures and melting points. Crystalline plastics, in contrast, exhibit a rather sharp transition from solid to liquid.

Polyethylene is a homopolymer as it consists of a single monomer component (in this case, ethylene: CH2 = CH2).

Why Is It Used So Often?
It is an incredibly useful commercial plastic, especially among product design companies. Due to the variety of PE variants, it has been included in a wide range of applications. PE is not available as a 3D printable material. It can be CNC machined or vacuum formed.

How is PE Made?
Polyethylene, like other plastics, begins by distilling hydrocarbon fuels (in this case ethane) into lighter groups called "fractions", some of which are combined with other catalysts (typically via polymerization or polycondensation) to produce plastics.

What is Polypropylene (PP)?
Polypropylene is a thermoplastic plastic material that can be used in many areas from parts used in the automotive industry to the production of kitchenware and food packaging. Polypropylene obtained by polymerizing the monomer propylene is resistant to acids and bases.
Polypropylene (PP) has many uses, from the automotive industry to the food industry, especially in the textile industry. Polypropylene, which is used with the abbreviation PP, is highly resistant to acids and bases.
Propylene was first made into an isotactic polymer in 1954 by Giulio Natta and German chemist Karl Rehr.

What are the Properties of Polyethylene?
Polyethylene is a moldable material. It can be extruded and poured into molds of various shapes. Due to its cheapness, it is generally preferred in the construction sector. It can be easily shaped and molded. Therefore, it is considered suitable for use in places such as rain gutters.
Polyethylene is a hard, strong, durable and dimensionally stable material that absorbs very little water. It exhibits good gas barrier properties and good resistance to chemicals such as acids, grease and petroleum. It can be transparent and colorless. However, the thicker parts are usually opaque and have a whitish appearance.

Polyethylene Application Areas
Polyethylene is a polymerized ethylene resin of choice, particularly in containers, utensils and tubs or packaging films and plates. It is also a frequently preferred ingredient in plastic bottles.

Recycling of Polyethylene Plastic
Recycled polyethylene is obtained by removing the discarded plastic and re-grinding to produce usable resin. It can then be blended with virgin polyethylene. It can be extruded to obtain a film and converted to be used in the production of bags and tubing. Recycled polyethylene is not as clear as untreated polyethylene.
There are two types of recycled polyethylene.

Post-Use Recycled Polyethylene (PCR PE)
It is produced from consumer waste piles (bottles, caps and recycled plastic bags collected in commercial and household recycling programs). PCR PE can have various densities due to the variety of polyethylene materials used. Due to these inconsistencies, PCR PE has to be blended with virgin polyethylene when producing the film. Recycled materials are contaminated with impurities (dirt, cellulose and inorganic materials). Therefore, the amount of raw PE to be used determines the quality of PCR PE.

Post Production Recycled Polyethylene (PIR PE or Pre-Use Polyethylene)
It is the polyethylene film residue obtained as a result of extruding the film or converting it into bags and tubing. Some of the difficulties faced by resin manufacturers when producing PCR PE are not encountered when producing PIR PE. Because impurities (dust) are not frequently encountered and the density is not variable. Therefore, it becomes possible to obtain PIR PE from 100% recycled content.