Recycled Plastics vs Virgin Plastics

Which type of plastic is better: virgin plastic or recycled plastic? Makers of plastic products have asked this question and, as an established manufacturer of sustainable plastic pipes and provider of piping solutions in the Middle East, we at Polyfab have been asked the same.

Our answer? In the recycled plastic vs. virgin plastic debate, the correct choice depends on what you wish to accomplish. Your choice will depend on your product requirements and operational priorities, as virgin plastics and recycled plastics have different mechanical properties and deliver distinct benefits.

Below is an overview of each material:

Key Takeaways

• Plastic product manufacturers can use virgin plastic or recycled plastic as a raw material.
• Virgin plastic is created directly from petrochemical feedstock, while recycled plastic is collected from plastic waste.
• Virgin plastic is mechanically superior to recycled plastic, but recycled plastic reduces waste and offers a more sustainable alternative to virgin plastic.
• Plastic product manufacturers can incorporate recycled plastics in their production for sustainability. They just need to make sure they’re using properly prepared and processed recycled plastics to ensure product quality.

Table of Contents

• Key Takeaways
• Mechanical Properties of Recycled Plastic vs. Virgin Plastic
• Environmental Impact of Virgin vs. Recycled Plastic
• Cost Comparison Between Recycled and Virgin Plastic
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Is virgin plastic stronger or more durable than recycled?
• Why do companies still use virgin plastic?
• Can recycled plastic be used for 3D printing or manufacturing?
• Virgin vs. Recycled Plastic: Which is Better?

Mechanical Properties of Recycled Plastic vs. Virgin Plastic

The recycled plastic vs. virgin plastic debate always starts with a discussion of mechanical properties. Synthetic polymers like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) are popular as raw materials because of their exceptional durability, which provides clear drainage, firefighting, potable water transport, and electrical use benefits.

This is why plastic product manufacturers, including plastic piping solutions providers like us, must consider the mechanical properties of virgin vs. recycled plastic. In our case, we need to evaluate the properties of both virgin and recycled plastics before deciding to use either in our PVC duct pipe or HDPE pipe fittings.

This is the question we must ask: In terms of mechanical properties, which type of plastic is better? Is recycled plastic weaker than virgin plastic?

The answer? Virgin plastic is mechanically better than recycled plastic, so yes, recycled plastic is generally weaker than virgin plastic.

In a virgin vs. recycled plastic comparison study published in the Journal of Physics, researchers tested virgin and recycled polylactic acid (PLA) samples and found recycled PLA to have lower tensile strength, transverse rupture strength (TRS), hardness, and impact strength values than virgin plastic.

In another study, researchers conducted tensile and compression tests on virgin and recycled PVC, HDPE, and polypropylene (PP). The test results show:

• Virgin PVC, HDPE, and PP have higher tensile strength than their recycled counterparts.
• Virgin PVC is significantly stiffer or more resistant to elastic deformation (i.e., has a higher tensile modulus) than recycled PVC.
• Virgin HDPE is slightly stiffer than recycled HDPE.
• Virgin PP is less stiff than recycled PP, but a 50-50 composite of virgin and recycled PP is the stiffest PP sample.
• Recycled HDPE and PP have slightly higher compressive strengths than virgin HDPE and PP.
• Virgin PVC has a clear compressive strength advantage over recycled PVC.
• Virgin PVC, HDPE, and PP have better compressive modulus (are stiffer under or have better resistance to compression) than recycled PVC, HDPE, and PP.

Aside: The difference between recycled plastic and virgin plastic is not confined to mechanical properti

es. Researchers comparing the thermochemical properties of virgin and recycled HDPE samples found that recycled HDPE degrades at a lower temperature than virgin HDPE. The lower degree of crystallinity found in recycled HDPE may also explain recycled plastics’ lower levels of strength and resistance to deformation.

All of the above findings demonstrate the difference between recycled plastic and virgin plastic’s mechanical (and thermochemical) properties. Generally speaking, virgin plastic is stronger and more resistant to deformation.

However, as one of the results shows, it is possible for a composite of virgin and recycled plastics to achieve better performance than virgin plastic.

Environmental Impact of Virgin vs. Recycled Plastic

What is the difference between virgin material and recycled material when it comes to environmental impact? Virgin plastic has a greater ecological impact than recycled plastic.

Why is virgin plastic a problem? Virgin plastic is made from fossil fuels like crude oil and natural gas. This is why virgin plastic has a high carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions.

Recycled plastic has a lower environmental impact because it is made from plastic waste and excess plastic material. The plastic doesn’t need to be fractionally distilled and polymerized from fossil fuels, thereby minimizing plastic waste and adverse environmental impact.

Using recycled plastic is also one way to help reduce the amount of plastic waste in dumpsites and landfills. By recycling excess plastic (e.g., we recycle plastic pipes at Polyfab), plastic product manufacturing companies can:

• diminish the amount of plastic waste they generate
• lessen the amount of petroleum raw materials they consume
• effectively reduce their carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions

As a bonus, recycling plastic can diminish production costs, too.

If your question is: Is virgin plastic good for the environment? The answer is no. We can lessen plastic’s impact on the environment by using recycled plastic, which is a more sustainable alternative.

Cost Comparison Between Recycled and Virgin Plastic

Is virgin plastic cheaper? Logically speaking, recycled plastic should be cheaper than virgin plastic. By incorporating recycled plastic into the plastic pipe manufacturing process, for instance, we can circumvent the fractional distillation, polymerization, and granulation processes necessary to create virgin plastic (or the cost of buying virgin plastic pellets). We can capture plastic waste and turn it into fresh process feed.

European Union data from 2023 supported this. It indicated that virgin polyethylene was over four times more expensive on average than scrap polyethylene.

That said, if the price of fossil fuels falls, the price gap between virgin plastics and recycled plastic prices can close. If the price of petroleum decreases to a certain point, the cost of virgin plastic can be lower than the cost of recycled plastic.

Therefore, in the virgin plastic vs recycled plastic price comparison, recycled plastic is cheaper than virgin plastic if the cost of petroleum is high. Otherwise, the reverse may be true.

Frequently Asked Questions

1.Is virgin plastic stronger or more durable than recycled?

Yes, virgin plastic is generally stronger or more durable than recycled plastic. However, this difference between recycled plastic and virgin plastic can be minimized by enforcing higher recycling standards. Plastic manufacturers can require stringent plastic waste segregation and selection criteria and implement stricter plastic recycling processes to improve the homogeneity of recycled plastics and minimize contamination.

At Polyfab, we ensure superior quality by recycling plastic from our own factories. We have also come up with a formula for combining a percentage of recycled plastic with virgin plastic to create high-quality but sustainable plastic pipes.

2. Why do companies still use virgin plastic?

Why is recycled plastic not used by more manufacturers? There can be several reasons. Companies that make food packaging may need to use virgin plastic to ensure food-grade quality. Some companies may not have the facilities or manpower to produce recycled plastic. Others may find recycling processes, particularly plastic preparation, too complicated or expensive. There are also those that do not have the capacity to incorporate recycled plastic into their products without sacrificing quality.

3.Can recycled plastic be used for 3D printing or manufacturing?

Yes. Here at Polyfab, we integrate a percentage of recycled plastic into our plastic pipes. By using our plastic waste and excess as our recycling source, we can ensure the quality of our recycled plastic output. Furthermore, our rigorously tested plastic pipe formulation ensures our plastic pipes can meet international standards and pass established pipe testing procedures.

Virgin vs. Recycled Plastic: Which Is Better?

Is recycled plastic better than “regular plastic,” a.k.a., virgin plastic? It depends. The discussion above highlights the pros and cons of recycling plastic, or the disadvantages of recycling plastic, but also the sustainability gains of using recycled plastic. In truth, if you have the capacity to produce high-quality recycled plastic and the technology to incorporate recycled plastic in production without sacrificing product quality, use recycled plastic.

Polyfab is one of the leading HDPE and PVC pipe manufacturers in the UAE. We are committed to sustainability, so we are glad we have the capacity to recycle our plastic pipes and use recycled plastic in the production of our high-quality plastic pipes, fittings, and piping accessories. Contact us for more information about our sustainable piping solutions.