Ten ways to get more from the sale of your scrap

First a quick definition: Getting the most from the sale of your plastic scrap means both getting the best possible price at the time of sale as well as maintaining these prices after the sale by avoiding claims from your scrap buyer. Civiera & Silver International Inc. (Holden, MA), a firm specializing in the buying, selling, and recycling of engineering plastics, has assembled a few simple suggestions that can help you achieve higher selling prices and protect you from claims after the sale.

1. Avoid cross contamination of resins at the press by adopting procedures to always keep different types and grades of resins used separate from each other. Cross contamination of resins is the most prevalent problem encountered in post-industrial plastic recycling.

2. Provide individual, clearly marked containers for each type of resin. Also, maintain separate and clearly marked containers for trash and other non-recyclable materials, so they don't mix.

3. Avoid cross contamination of resins during grinding by either using dedicated grinders for each resin type or instituting procedures to assure that all grinders are completely dismantled and each component wiped clean during material changeovers.

4. Avoid mixing filled and unfilled versions of the same generic resin type together. Unfilled versions of a resin are usually more valuable than filled versions of the same material.

5. Avoid grinding anything coated, painted, decorated, or materials with inserts together with pure materials--the purer the material the better.

6. Try to always grind colors separately. At least, keep blacks and naturals separate from other colors. Try not to mix whites and light colors with blacks. Natural is always worth more than colored material. Separated colors may be worth more than mixed colors. Pure black is also generally worth more than black scrap mixed with other colors.

7. Always use good, serviceable packing to avoid claims for losses, repacking, and freight damage. Always use lined gaylords with good covers or drums with liners, covers, and rings. Strap or stretch-wrap containers on pallets. Make sure pallets are secure enough to be stacked two or three high.

8. Fill all packages completely. Partly filled packages increase shipping expense and are more apt to be damaged during storage and transit. If you must ship a partially filled container, mark it clearly, "Partial carton--Top load." This should keep it from being crushed in transit by having a fully loaded carton stacked on top of it.

9. Label all packages clearly to avoid any confusion as to their contents. Make labels as specific as possible. One reading "Black M90 acetal regrind" is far better than one reading "Black acetal." When you ship your plastic scrap, number all packages and generate a detailed packing list and invoice giving numbers and types of packages and individual gross, tare, and net weights. This is your record of what you shipped.

10. Whenever you list your material for sale, be as specific as possible. Describe quantities, colors, resins, and grade types with as much detail as you can: "10,000 lb of reground black Dupont ST801 nylon 6/6" will generally fetch a higher offer price than a less descriptive listing. "Nylon regrind, 10,000 lb" doesn't give enough information.