1. What services does Malvern Plastics Group provide?

• Recycling • Compounding • Brokerage • Import/Export

• Reprocessing • Distribution • Manufacturing

We provide these plastics services worldwide. Please view full details of our plastics services by clicking here.


2. Are all types of plastics recyclable?

Yes.  Malvern Plastics Group can recycle all types of plastics.  We deal with mid-to-large volume when it comes to recycling.


3. What are the key benefits of plastics?

• Plastic is extremely versatile and has the ability to be custom-made to specific needs. • Plastics can be made into a variety of color and consistencies. • Plastic material has maximum permanence. • Plastics are used in just about every industry. • Plastic is lighter in weight than competing materials. • Plastic provides a resistance to water, chemicals and impact.

4. What are the different types of plastics?

There are many different types of plastics but there are seven main categories of plastics which are: PET (polyethylene terephthalate), HDPE (high density polyethylene), LDPE (low density polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), PS (polystyrene), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PS (polystyrene) and Other.  When an item is labeled “other” it means the plastic was made with a resin other than the 6 main plastics.


5. What is the APC?

The APC stands for The American Plastics Council. This organization is a division of the American Chemistry Council (ACC). The American Chemistry Council represents leading manufacturers of plastic resins. The APC advocates unlimited opportunities for plastics and promotes their economic, environmental and societal benefits


6. Does acrylic (Plexiglas, Lucite) yellow in the Sun?

There are many questions about how plastics will handle the elements outside. For most plastics, sunlight especially ultraviolet radiation has a negative effect on the majority of plastics. Many toys made from PE become brittle and crack when left outside. American-made acrylics do not yellow in the Sun. The other clear plastics that do yellow in the Sun are styrene, PETG and Polycarbonate.


7. When was plastic first invented?

The English inventor, Alexandar Parkes, created the earliest form of plastic in 1855. He mixed pyroxylin, cellulose with alcohol and camphor. This produced a hard but flexible transparent material which was first called, “Parkesine.”.


8. Is plastic an element, a compound or a polymer?

Plastic is considered to be a polymer made up of several compounds. Elements are simple and cannot be broken down into smaller components.


9. What is the most common type of plastic recycled?

The most common type of plastic recycled are type 1, 2 and 6. These plastics are down cycled into other plastic items. Type 1 plastics are often turned into non-food containers. This is PET and PETE and polyethylene. Type 2 plastics are HDPE and are recycled to make plastic lumber.  Type 6 plastics are polystyrene and can be made into such items like trays, pens, and insulation.


10. How much plastic is recycled in the U.S.?

Every year the amount of plastics recycled is increasing. The United States only recycled about 5% of the plastics produced domestically.


11. What are the 3 classification of plastics?

•  Thermosets are hard and have a very tight meshed branched molecular structure. An example of this type of plastic would be a light switch.     • Elastomers have a cross linked structure but it is much looser than thermosets. This mixture of plastic and rubber is used for automobile tires.     • Thermoplastics have a linear or branch looking structure. Theses are flexible at ordinary temperatures.

12. Is plastic biodegradable?

Most plastic is non-biodegradable, which means that it will never destabilize or break down. As certain plastics age, they cannot be melted and formed as easily as newer plastics. 


13. What are the numbers molded on the bottom of plastic containers?

The different types of plastics require different processing to be reformulated and re-used as a raw material. The symbols range in number from 1 to 7 and allow consumers and recyclers to differentiate types of plastics. The codes provide a uniform coding system for manufactures as well. This system was designed by The Society of the Plastics Industry.


14. What is the legal definition of “Biodegradable?”
There is no legal definition. The American Society for Testing and Materials defines the term as, “a degradation caused by biological activity, especially by enzymatic action, leading to a significant change in the chemical structure of the material.” 


15.  What is the melting point of plastic?

There is no specific melting point for plastic. All plastics are different and there is not a defined melting point. Many plastics gradually get softer as the temperature increases.


For more information about plastics and how plastics are can be effectively used for your manufacturing needs, contact Malvern Plastics Group.  We serve companies and organizations worldwide.