Stretch Wrap Baler / Shrink Wrap Baler / Stretch Film Baler
What is stretch wrap?
Stretch wrap is a kind of plastic film and commonly made of high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), or polypropylene (PP) resins. They often pack products together for internal delivery and external shipping purpose. Stretch wrap is a common waste typically in large quantities by warehouse/distribution centers, industrial plants, and large retail. Facilities currently landfilling large amounts of stretch wrap should consider waste reduction opportunities for a number of reasons, including avoided landfill disposal fees, reduced packaging/shipping costs, improved environmental performance of the facility, and even cash inflows from such recovery program. Stretch wrap may well be the most valuable recyclable material in your warehouse/distribution center. During whole stretch wrap recycling, many plastic film recycling machines are available including stretch wrap baler and stretch wrap shredder.
Why recycle stretch wrap?
Stretch wrap is one of the largest components of a warehouse/distribution center’s waste stream. Those that do not recycle stretch wrap must pay to have it hauled away with the rest of the trash and disposed. Also, stretch wrap is relatively easy to identify and recover. Economics of stretch wrap recycling can be divided into two broad areas:
(1) costs and revenues associated with recovering the material;
(2) the cost savings attributable to avoided disposal. In some areas, the recovery of stretch wrap is not economical unless cost savings from avoided disposal are included.
Stretch wrap may be the most valuable scrap material a W/DC can recover.
How to recycle stretch wrap?
Simple stretch wrap recycling flowchart can be described as below:
- – Clean pallet stretch wrap arrives at warehouse/distribution center;
- – After stretch wrap is used, stretch wrap waste will be collected, sorted, shredded, washed and get dry in recycling area/center;
- – The recovered stretch wrap will be baled by a stretch wrap baler machine;
- – The useful component such as LDPE from stretch wrap will be pelletized;
- – The end-product manufacturer will manufacture new products with recycled postconsumer plastic.
There are more and more companies which accept LDPE/LLDPE film, although only a handful of these companies are able to process the large amounts of stretch wrap recovered by large-scale distribution operations.
There are still a lot of companies throwing their plastic and shrink wrap into bins and sending it off to landfills therefore missing out on the incredible opportunity of baling and recycling shrink wrap. Shrink wrap is not very heavy when loose. If it is baled then it takes up so much less space and can actually may be worth a lot of money by recycling.
Why you need a Stretch Wrap Baler?
As the stretch wrap waste is accumulated, it should be baled to lower the costs of storage and transportation. Fortunately, no special baler is required. Stretch wrap baler can be available after a few simple adjustments based on common waste balers such as corrugated cardboard baler. If a facility has a baler for cardboard, the same piece of equipment can be used for baling stretch wrap. However, balers specifically designed for stretch wrap will yield denser bales and lower transportation costs.
If a multi-material baler is used, it should be cleaned out when changing over from corrugated cardboard to stretch wrap. Take care to keep the baler free of dirt and other materials so that clean stretch wrap will not be contaminated. Segregated stretch wrap must be inspected and the contamination removed prior to baling. Remember, clean material will receive the highest price. Tape, strapping, labels and other contaminants must be removed whenever possible. Bales should be stored indoors on pallets or concrete pads to keep them clean and dry. Bales stored outdoors should be placed on concrete pads and covered with tarps to prevent moisture accumulation and degradation caused by exposure to ultraviolet light.
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