What Are Balers Used For?
Balers are used to minimize waste and condense recyclable materials into dense, easy-to-transport bales for
recycling. Materials commonly baled include aluminum, cardboard, paper, non-ferrous metals, and all types of
plastics.
Why Is Plastic Recycling Important?
Recycling plastics is important because we are consuming more. According to the Beverage Marketing Corp, the average
American consumed 1.6 gallons of bottled water in 1976. In 2006, that number jumped to 28.3 gallons.
Recycling of plastic bottles has grown. According to Earth911, more than 2.4 billion pounds of plastic bottles were
recycled in 2008. Although the amount of plastic bottles recycled in the U.S. has grown every year since 1990, the
actual recycling rate remains steady at around 27 percent.
Business Potential of Plastic Recycling
For those who want to start a recycling business, plastic recycling has significant potential. Earth911 states that
in recent years, the number of U.S. plastics recycling businesses has nearly tripled. More than 1,600 businesses are
now involved in recycling post-consumer plastics.
Since manufacturing plastic from raw materials is more expensive than recycling plastic for reuse, recycling plastic
into bales can be profitable.
Types of Recyclable Plastics
Which plastics are recyclable? WANROOE MACHINERY manufactures both vertical and horizontal balers for baling all
types of plastics. Plastics are labeled with a coded number from one to seven, typically located on the bottom of
the package.
Even an avid recycler may be surprised to see some recyclable items they may not have realized could be recycled.
#1 PET (Polyethylene terephthalate)
Includes soda bottles, water bottles, and oven-ready food trays.
#2 HDPE (High-density polyethylene)
Includes containers from dairy products like milk jugs, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Other items include cereal box
liners, grocery bags, and trash bags.
#3 PVC (Polyvinyl chloride)
Includes plastic food wrap, loose leaf binders, and vegetable oil bottles.
#4 LDPE (Low-density polyethylene)
Includes squeezable bottles (e.g., mustard and honey) and plastic bags such as bread bags, frozen food bags, and dry
cleaner bags.
#5 PP (Polypropylene)
Includes drinking straws, caps for aerosol products, and medicine bottles.
#6 PS (Polystyrene)
Includes plastic egg cartons, foam peanuts, plastic tableware, and compact disc jackets.
#7 Other Plastics
Includes other recyclable plastics such as Tupperware and other plastic food containers, larger reusable water jugs,
and more.
Get the Right Baler for Your Plastic Recycling Needs
Whether you are learning about plastic recycling for your home, business, or municipality, learn all you can. Not all
areas and recycling centers accept all plastic codes 1–7 yet, but many do and are continually expanding.
Inquire into what is available in your area or workplace to recycle as much as possible. Contact WANROOE MACHINERY to
find out which baler best suits your plastic recycling needs.
Join the Conversation
Do you recycle plastics at home or work? Are there any recyclable items on the list above that surprise you?
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