Rigid, outdoor plastic trash cans are often made of high density polyethylene.
Many trash cans for use in households and workplaces are made from three plastics: linear low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, or polypropylene, according to the American Chemistry Council and a leading trash can retailer. All three of these plastics are also recyclable and used to make other trash cans, bins, fencing, pipes, household containers and other useful items.
Low Density Polyethylene
The typical soft-sided 32 to 55-gallon trash can is often made of low density polyethylene (LDPE), recycled LDPE, or the lower cost version, linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE). Films, bags, thin food containers and similar items are also often made of LDPE. Recyclable LDPE is stamped with a resin code of four. Resin codes were created by the plastics industry to identify the different plastics for recycling purposes. Many post-consumer products (PCR's) can be made from recycled LDPE including trash cans and liners, shipping envelopes and plastic lumber. The other type of LDPE often used to make plastic trash cans, LLDPE, is flexible, tough and weather and water-resistant like LDPE, but stronger and lower in cost.
High Density Polyethylene
More rigid-sided trash cans may be constructed of high density polyethylene (HDPE). These trash cans are often the smaller kitchen or office size or heavy duty outdoor bins. HDPE is tougher than LDPE, resistant to cracking, weather and water. HDPE, like LDPE and LLDPE, is non-toxic and often also used in food packaging. The resin identification code for HDPE is two and PCR HDPE products include non-food containers for household items like detergents, buckets, pipe, fence and recycling bins.
Polypropylene
The least expensive of the plastics, polypropylene is also stiffer with less density and slightly more durable than HDPE and LDPE. It is also chemical and water resistant. Because it is stiffer, it can also be more brittle, especially at lower temperatures. Therefore, polypropylene is used for many indoor trash cans. Food and medication containers and bottles are some of the other types of products made with polypropylene. Polypropylene's resin code is five and PCR products may include trays, pallets, bins and rakes.
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