Know Your Plastic - Article 4

Type 4 Plastic - LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene)

Plastic type No. 4 LDPE - Polyethylenes are the most used family of plastics in the world.

LDPE plastic has the simplest plastic polymer chemical structure, making it very easy and very cheap to process. LDPE polymers have significant chain branching including long side chains making it less dense and less crystalline (structurally ordered) and thus a generally thinner more flexible form of polyethylene.

LDPE is mostly used for

• Bags (grocery, dry cleaning, bread, frozen food bags, newspapers, garbage).
• Plastic wraps; coatings for paper milk cartons and hot & cold beverage cups.
• Squeezable bottles, food storage containers, container lids.
• Wire and cable covering.

Although some studies have shown that LDPE could also cause unhealthy hormonal effects in humans, LDPE is considered as a safer Plastic option for food and drink use. Products made using LDPE plastic are reusable.

Unfortunately, this type of plastic is quite difficult to be recycled. However this is changing in many communities today as more plastic recycling programs gear up to handle this material.

Urjaa Foundation
#MyPlasticWastelsMy Responsibility
#SayNotoPlastic #SaveEarth