Polyolefin

Polyolefin is a family of thermoplastic polymers made by polymerizing olefin monomers, such as ethylene and propylene. Thermoplastics soften when heated and harden when cooled, allowing them to be melted and reshaped during manufacturing and mechanical recycling.

The most common polyolefins are polyethylene (PE), including high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), and polypropylene (PP). These materials are widely used in packaging films, bottles, containers, pipes, automotive components, and fibers because they are lightweight, durable, chemically resistant, and relatively inexpensive.

In recycling, polyolefin waste is typically sorted, cleaned, shredded, melted, filtered, and converted into pellets for manufacturing new products. The quality of the recycled material depends on factors including polymer separation, contamination, additives, and degradation during use and processing.