Using recycled plastic materials: assessing comparative properties

Using recycled plastic materials: assessing comparative properties

Recycled plastics can be found is a wide range of a applications, from clothes and household goods, to food packaging and construction materials. 

Compared with virgin alterantives, the use of recycled content introduces a range of challenges - but through an understanding of what properties are required for the application, these risks can be minimised, enabling recycled materials to be used for higher value engineering applications.

We explore some of the challenges faced by companies looking to utilize recycled plastics in their products or components and the role of comparative testing in assuring consistency of material properties and performance.

The use of post-consumer recycled material (PCR) and post-industrial recycled material is still relatively new, and therefore process trials and comparative testing can be a useful part of the material selection stage to help determine the properties of each material or determine what percentage of recyclate is an acceptable substitution.

This whitepaper covers:
  • Challenges of using recycled materials
  • Material considerations
  • Process trials and comparative physical testing
Find out more about our polymer materials testing services at Smithers.
Find out more about our support for Sustainable Materials.
You may also be interested in using recycled plastics in food contact applications.

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Smithers-Recycled-Materials-Comparative-Properties

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Smithers-Recycled-Materials-Comparative-Properties

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