Plastics

TYPE OF PLASTIC	CHARACTERISTICS	APPLICATIONS
Polyethylene Terephthalate PET	Clear, tough, solvent resistant, often used as a fibre	Carbonated soft drink bottles, pillow and sleeping bag filling, textile fibres
High Density Polyethylene HDPE	Hard to semi-flexible, waxy surface, opaque, melts at 135^oC	Crinkly shopping bags, freezer bags, milk bottles, bleach bottles, buckets, rigid agricultural pipe, milk crates
Unplasticised Polyvinyl Chloride UPVC	Hard, rigid, can be clear, can be solvent welded	Electrical conduit, plumbing pipes and fittings, blister packs, wall cladding, roof sheeting, bottles
Plasticised Polyvinyl Chloride PPVC	Flexible, clear, elastic, can be solvent welded	Garden hose, shoe soles, cable sheathing, blood bags and tubing, watch straps
Low density Polyethyline LDPE	Soft, flexible, waxy surface, translucent, melts at 80^oC, scratches easily	Garbage bags, squeeze bottles, black irrigation tube, black mulch film, garbage bins
Polypropylene PP	Hard but still flexible, waxy surface, melts at 145^oC, translucent, withstands solvents. Very versatile material with many applications	Potato crisp bags, drinking straws, microwave ware, plastic kettles, plastic garden settings, baby baths, plastic hinged lunch boxes
Polystyrene PS	Clear, glassy, rigid, brittle, opaque, semi-tough, melts at 95^oC. Affected by fats and solvents	Plastic cutlery, imitation 'crystal glassware', low cost brittle toys, video cases
Expanded Polystyrene EPS	Foamed, light weight, energy absorbing, heat insulating	Foamed polystyrene hot drink cups, hamburger take-away clamshells, foamed meat trays, protective packaging for fragile items
Includes all other resins and multi materials (eg: laminates). Examples are polyamide, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylic, nylon, polyurethane (PU) and phenolics