Polymer granulates — PE, PP, PVC, PET, recyclates on SMIALA – Big-Bag Transloading & Repackaging | PHS Magnum Poland

Polymer recyclates (rPET, rHDPE, rPP): properties, transport and PPWR requirements

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Definition

Polymer recyclate is a plastic derived from waste recovery, processed back into a form suitable for reprocessing instead of virgin raw material. In commercial and transport circulation it occurs most often as regranulate — a pellet obtained by washing, melting and granulation, technologically close to granulate from the first polymerisation. The three most important types are rPET (from beverage bottles), rHDPE (from rigid packaging) and rPP — the fastest-growing polyolefin recyclate in Europe.

Polyethylene (PE) — types, properties, applications and transport

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Definition

Polyethylene (PE) is the most common thermoplastic, obtained by polymerisation of ethylene, supplied to processors as a granulate with a density of 0.91–0.96 g/cm³, used for the production of films, packaging, pipes and moulded products.

It is by far the most frequent — though not the only — cargo passing through our terminal; alongside PE and PP we also handle ABS, PS, PA and other plastics, and in general anything that pours well and is not a dangerous good. Polyethylene is a commodity plastic — produced on a scale of tens of millions of tonnes a year, more than any other plastic — and its logistics are the foundation of the entire bulk materials industry in which we have worked for over three decades. The seemingly uniform “plastic” is in fact a whole family of materials with very different properties and transport requirements, and distinguishing them correctly is the first step towards flawless logistics.

Polypropylene (PP) — types, properties, applications and transport

Sun, 18 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Definition

Polypropylene (PP) is a thermoplastic from the polyolefin group, obtained by polymerisation of propylene, supplied to processors in the form of granulate with a density of about 0.90–0.91 g/cm³, the lightest of the commodity plastics, used in the automotive industry, packaging and the textile industry.

Polypropylene and polyethylene are the two pillars of the polyolefin market and the two most frequent cargoes in granulate logistics. From the terminal’s perspective they are transported very similarly — both are light, both sensitive to contamination — but their properties and end uses differ enough that the processor never confuses them, and neither can we.

PET and rPET — polyethylene terephthalate, recyclates, properties and transport

Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Definition

PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is a thermoplastic polyester from the terephthalate group, obtained by polycondensation of terephthalic acid (or dimethyl terephthalate) with ethylene glycol, supplied to processors as bottle-grade granulate or recyclate with a density of about 1.38 g/cm³, hard, transparent and strongly hygroscopic, used for bottles, polyester fibres and films.

Within the family of commodity plastics, PET stands somewhat apart from the polyolefins. Polyethylene and polypropylene are light, chemically inert hydrocarbons that float on water and absorb little moisture. PET is heavier, polar, sinks and — most importantly from a logistics standpoint — greedily absorbs water from the air. These two characteristics, density and hygroscopicity, determine how PET granulate must be transported and transloaded.

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) — types, properties, applications and transport

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Definition

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is a thermoplastic obtained by polymerisation of vinyl chloride (VCM), supplied to processors as powder or granulate with a density of about 1.2–1.45 g/cm³, occurring in a rigid variant (PVC-U) and a flexible one (PVC-P with plasticisers), used above all for pipes, window profiles, cables, films and flooring.

Polyvinyl chloride is the third-largest commodity plastic in the world by production volume — after polyethylene and polypropylene. It differs from them fundamentally, however: it is not a polyolefin, it contains chlorine in the chain (about 57% by mass), it is heavier than water and it is very rarely used “pure” — only a formulation with stabilisers and additives turns the base polymer into a usable material. From the terminal’s perspective this distinctiveness has concrete consequences: a different density, a different delivery form and — in the case of powder — different transloading requirements.