regranulated

Regranulated refers to plastic or other polymer material that has been processed through regranulation, a recycling step in which post-consumer or post-industrial waste is ground or shredded, melted, filtered, and pelletized into granules suitable for melt processing and reuse. The term is most commonly used with plastics, including PET, HDPE, LDPE, PP, and PS, but can apply to other polymers that are recycled into pellet form.

Regranulate is typically differentiated from virgin polymer by its origin and composition. It may contain residual contaminants, colorants, or additives from its previous use, and its properties can vary between batches. To improve performance, manufacturers may employ purification steps such as washing, drying, filtration, and decontamination during processing. Some regranulates are blended with virgin material to meet specification requirements.

The regranulation process involves collection of recyclables, sorting by polymer type and sometimes color, cleaning to remove labels and contaminants, size reduction, extrusion to melt the material, filtration to remove impurities, and pelletizing to form reusable granules. Moisture control is important, as moisture can degrade certain polymers during processing. Quality control often assesses melt flow rate, ash content, color stability, odor, and mechanical properties to ensure suitability for intended applications.

Applications of regranulated material range from packaging and consumer goods to automotive components, depending on polymer type and quality. Food-contact use is subject to regulatory approval and contamination controls. Economically, regranulate can reduce material costs and conserve resources, though price and performance depend on feedstock quality and processing efficiency.