Are balers suitable for plastic?
If you’ve been wondering whether plastic can go in a baler, our helpful guide has the answer you’re looking for.
Are balers suitable for plastic?
Balers are designed to compress recyclable materials into dense bales, easy to transport, helping to reduce trash volume. Commonly baled materials include paper, cardboard, aluminum, and other non-ferrous metals. One frequent question, however, is whether plastic can also be processed in a baler.
Baling plastic: you can, and you should
Plastics come in many forms, from PET bottles and hard plastics (HDPE) to bulk bags and soft plastics (LDPE). While soft plastic is the most commonly recycled type, virtually all plastics – including plastic drums – can be placed in a baler and compressed into reusable material. However, it’s important to select the right type of baler for the specific plastic you’re handling, as not every baler is designed to process all varieties of plastic.
LDPE Balers
LDPE is widely used in industrial, service, and commercial sectors, often as protective wrapping for goods stacked on pallets. While this material is highly practical, it still needs to be properly sorted and baled to prevent environmental pollution. LDPE balers offer the ideal solution, and they’re available in a wide range of models, from low-compression units to high-compression systems.
HDPE and PVC Balers
High-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are generally rigid, durable plastics, which means a baler designed for softer materials like LDPE won’t be effective enough. Instead, these plastics require a baler with a high pressing force capable of delivering strong compaction force. Built with heavy-duty construction, this type of baler is ideal for processing plastics recovered from electronics such as televisions, computers, and other devices.
PET Bottle and Plastic Container Balers
A common challenge in the food industry, and in many other sectors, is the disposal of plastic containers and PET bottles. Often, the issue stems from using the wrong type of baler. These materials should be processed in a sufficiently large baler with high compaction force. And just as important, each container or bottle should be carefully punctured or have its cap removed before baling.
Why Bale Plastic?
Beyond reducing environmental impact, matching the right type of plastic with the right baler can shrink trash volume by as much as 90 percent. Proper plastic recycling also delivers major benefits for your business, saving money, time, and valuable space.
So, to answer the question, “Can plastic be put in a baler?”—the short answer is absolutely yes.
Further questions about plastic balers?
Get in touch with us to learn how Mil-tek can help your business optimize its trash management process.
We’ll respond to you as quickly as possible.