Polyethylene: benefit or harm. Properties of polyethylene and its application

Today, it is impossible to imagine our life without polymer materials. Polyethylene is the most widely used polymer in the world. It was first synthesized by German engineer Hans von Pechmann back in 1899, who is recognized as the inventor of this polymer. However, as is often the case, this important discovery did not find immediate practical application.

Much later, in 1933, a group of engineers led by Eric Fawcett and Reginald Gibson conducted experiments with ethylene under high pressure. Upon opening the reactor, they discovered a white, waxy substance. This new material possessed unique properties: it melted easily, was highly formable, and exhibited excellent electrical insulation characteristics. Shortly thereafter, scientists established the polymeric nature of the substance and named it polyethylene. Initially, polyethylene was utilized as insulation for electrical wiring. By 1943, it began to be used for manufacturing tableware, crates, bottles, packaging, and various household items.

Varieties of Polyethylene

Polyethylene is generally classified by its density. The most well-known types of polyethylene are LDPE and HDPE.

• LDPE stands for Low-Density Polyethylene, which is produced under high pressure;
• HDPE stands for High-Density Polyethylene, which is produced under low pressure.

In addition to these two varieties, the industry manufactures and utilizes numerous other types of polyethylene, with the primary groups including:

• LLDPE – Linear Low-Density Polyethylene. This type is gaining increasingly widespread popularity. While its properties are similar to LDPE, it outperforms it in many parameters, including mechanical strength and product warp resistance.
• mLLDPE, MPE – Metallocene Linear Low-Density Polyethylene.
• MDPE – Medium-Density Polyethylene.
• HMWPE, VHMWPE – High-Molecular-Weight and Very High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene.
• UHMWPE – Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene.
• EPE – Expanded (Foamed) Polyethylene.
• PEC – Chlorinated Polyethylene.

There is also a vast number of ethylene copolymers formulated with various monomers. The most prominent among these are copolymers synthesized with propylene.

General Properties of Polyethylene

Physical Characteristics: Polyethylene is a flexible yet sufficiently rigid material (LDPE is significantly softer, while HDPE is more rigid). It is highly resistant to low temperatures down to -70°C, impact-resistant, does not fracture easily, and features excellent dielectric properties. The polymer exhibits low water and vapor absorption. From a physiological and ecological standpoint, polyethylene is a neutral, inert substance that is completely odorless and tasteless.

Chemical Properties: Polyethylene features low vapor and gas permeability. Its chemical resistance depends heavily on its molecular weight and polymer density. Polyethylene is highly resistant to water and does not react with alkalis of any concentration, solutions of neutral, acidic, or basic salts, or organic and inorganic acids—including concentrated sulfuric acid. It remains unreactive when exposed to organic solvents, oils, and lubricants. However, polyethylene is not resistant to 50% nitric acid and halogens such as pure chlorine and bromine. Furthermore, bromine and iodine possess the ability to diffuse directly through polyethylene.

Operational Properties: Environmental degradation of polyethylene begins at temperatures above 80°C. Without specialized additives, polyethylene is highly susceptible to photodegradation under solar radiation, particularly UV rays. To mitigate this effect, light stabilizers are incorporated into the compound. Polyethylene does not leach harmful chemicals into the environment, though it decomposes naturally at an exceptionally slow rate. It is also quite flammable and supports combustion, a factor that must be strictly considered during its application.

In summary, polyethylene is plastic, impact-resistant, physiologically neutral, and features low water and gas permeability. It is strong, elastic, resistant to aggressive chemicals, lightweight, tolerant of temperature fluctuations, boasts a long service life, remains safe for human health, and is a relatively inexpensive material. While its positive traits are extensive, its specific performance characteristics can be modified across a wide range depending on the additives used and the manufacturing pressure applied.

Applications of Polyethylene

Due to its versatile properties, polyethylene has found widespread application in almost every sphere of life: agriculture, construction, medicine, and consumer households.

At the “Planeta Plastik” plant, we manufacture the following products from polyethylene:

• Greenhouse film with thicknesses from 80 µm to 180 µm and widths up to 16 meters;
• Black-and-white film for covering silage pits and trenches;
• Black and grey mulching films, including Mulch Eco, Bashtan Eco, Mulch Pro, and 5-layer Mulch EVO;
• Harwell TM grain storage sleeves;
• Industrial packaging films, such as shrink film and stretch hood film;
• Construction film;
• Polymer pipes for water and gas supply, sewage networks, technical conduits, and protective ducting.

You can order high-quality polyethylene products at factory-direct prices from LLC “Planeta Plastik” on our website under the “Products” section or by calling +38 (044) 229-00-00.

• Our experience in manufacturing polyethylene products spans nearly 20 years.
• We guarantee stable and competitive pricing throughout the entire season.
• We utilize exclusively high-grade raw materials and state-of-the-art equipment, enabling us to manufacture polyethylene products with outstanding functional and technical characteristics.
• We monitor quality at all stages of production and test our products in our in-house laboratory. All items are manufactured under the strictest quality control in compliance with ISO 9001:2015 standards.
• Products are consistently available in our warehouse, allowing for direct shipments to your farm or facility.
• All of our products are ecologically certified under ISO 14024, ensuring they are safe for the environment and human health.

Disposal and Recycling of Polyethylene

1) Recycling: Polyethylene products are fully recyclable and suited for secondary use. At the “Planeta Plastik” plant, recycling is a cornerstone of our commitment to enhancing production sustainability and adopting circular economy principles. This approach reduces product costs—without wasting raw materials, fuel, or energy—while minimizing waste generation and atmospheric emissions.

• We reintroduce production scrap directly back into the manufacturing cycle or route it between different processing stages.
• We operate two specialized recycling lines that convert material into high-quality secondary granules.
• All of our finished products are 100% recyclable.
• We engineer new products that integrate recycled raw materials either partially or entirely into their composition.
• We continuously invest in advanced processing technologies, having commissioned two new recycling lines last year.

2) Incineration.

Please remember that it is human behavior, not polyethylene itself, that litters the environment. Let us approach the disposal of polyethylene and all waste materials responsibly. When managed with proper recycling and disposal practices, the use of polyethylene poses no harm to the natural world.