Polyethylene is widely used as a packaging material in the logistics industry. It is polymerised from ethylene and absorbs shock, compression and vibration in order to provide maximum protection as a packaging material. The properties of polyethylene foam make it an ideal material for keeping products in their packaging, offering maximum protection.

So is polyethylene recycling feasible? The answer is yes! This is probably one of the most important features of polyethylene, as recycling has a huge impact on the environment. Polyethylene can be melted down and reshaped into various shapes many times. This is due to its high heat resistance, which allows it to retain its chemical structure even when subjected to high temperatures and transformed into molten plastic. This is a very important property of polyethylene material, allowing it to be reused and recycled, reducing the amount of plastic in the environment.

However, the number of companies that recycle polyethylene is very limited, which results in a very low overall recycling rate. It is vital that polyethylene is recycled or compressed to prevent it from being incinerated or sent to landfill.

This is because incineration pollutes the environment and polyethylene is a very difficult material to biodegrade. The term biodegradable is used to describe polymers that do not break down at any time during biological processes under natural and ecological conditions. Most plastics are not biodegradable as plastic is widely used because it is cheap, durable and versatile. Certain conditions can accelerate the degradation process of polyethylene. These conditions include: moisture, oxygen, sunlight, composting and enhanced biodegradation by reducing hydrophobic polymers and increasing hydrophilic properties.

Despite this, polyethylene is still an environmentally friendly material as it can be easily recycled into new products. Recycling polyethylene foam is a fairly simple process, provided that we use polyethylene recycling machines scientifically.

The GREENMAX polyethylene densifier combines cold press and hot melt surface technology after shredding to effectively recycle polyethylene packaging. A logistics company in the UK uses the GREENMAX polyethylene densifier Z-C200 to effectively recycle polyethylene. In addition, GREENMAX has a specially tailored timed cutting system to cut compressed polyethylene for transportation. By using this machine, the logistics company's problem of recycling polyethylene scrap has been solved, with savings in electricity and labour.