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Buyer guide

Recycled HDPE pellets (rHDPE): natural, mixed-color and PIR, from one gaylord

We source post-consumer and post-industrial HDPE pellets for blow molding, injection molding, pipe and film blends, from one gaylord (about 1,000 to 1,600 lb) to truckloads. Send the stream, melt index and recycled content you need, and a polymer chemist checks whether a recycled source can hold your part.

Updated October 2026

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The short answer

Recycled HDPE pellets come in three main streams. Natural rHDPE from milk and water jugs is mostly homopolymer: light in color, but low in stress-crack resistance (ESCR). Mixed-color rHDPE from detergent and shampoo bottles is mostly copolymer, with better ESCR but gray to black color, and PIR from clean factory scrap is the most consistent but often does not count toward PCR targets. Buy by stream, melt index window with its test condition, PP content, odor and gel limits, and check every lot's COA, because recycled lots move more than prime.

Natural, mixed-color, color-sorted and PIR rHDPE

The stream a pellet came from decides most of how it runs. A recycler that sorts and washes milk jugs makes a different resin from one that runs mixed household bottles, even when both are sold as “rHDPE.” Ask which bale grade the recycler buys and how it sorts, not just the color of the pellet.

Stream	Where it comes from	What it is like	Often used for
Natural rHDPE	Unpigmented bottles, mostly milk, water and juice jugs	Mostly homopolymer, high density, low melt index. Off-white, often slightly yellow or gray. Low ESCR, since jug resin was never made to resist detergents. Scarce, so it costs the most of the bottle streams.	Light-colored bottles, a recycled share in new jugs, food-contact bottles only under an FDA letter
Mixed-color rHDPE	Pigmented bottles: detergent, shampoo, motor oil and household chemical	Mostly copolymer, so better ESCR than natural. Gray, green-gray or black. More pigment, ash, PP from caps and labels, and fragrance odor.	Detergent and chemical bottles (often a middle layer), drainage pipe, black and dark molded parts
Color-sorted rHDPE	Pigmented bottles sorted by color (for example white, blue or green) before washing	Copolymer-rich like mixed color, but with a narrower shade. More sorting means a higher price and less volume.	Bottles and parts in a set color family where black or gray is not accepted
Injection or bulky rigid rHDPE	Crates, pails, buckets, totes and other rigid items	Higher melt index (injection grades), mixed copolymer and homopolymer, more PP and filler. Colors vary.	Pails, crates, pallets and other injection molded parts
PIR rHDPE	Clean scrap from bottle, pipe, film or molding plants that never reached a consumer	Closest to prime, since one grade from one source often makes up the stream. Properties follow the original grade.	Recycled content where your customer accepts PIR; many state laws and brand targets count only PCR

Typical traits. Each recycler’s stream differs, so ask for its spec sheet and lot history.

Typical melt index by source and use

Melt index (MI) is the first number to match. HDPE MI is measured by ASTM D1238 at 190°C / 374°F with a 2.16 kg load. Very low-MI materials, such as HMW film and pressure pipe resins, are reported as high-load melt index (HLMI) at 21.6 kg instead. A 2.16 kg value and a 21.6 kg value cannot be compared. Recycled MI is a window, not a single number, so put a range on the PO.

Use	Typical recycled source	Typical MI (190°C / 374°F, 2.16 kg)	Typical density (ASTM D1505 or D792)	What to watch
Extrusion blow molded bottles, light colors	Natural rHDPE	About 0.2–0.9 g/10 min, often near 0.7	About 0.955–0.962 g/cm³	Low ESCR. Fine for milk and water type bottles; detergent bottles need copolymer
Detergent, household chemical and motor oil bottles	Mixed-color or color-sorted rHDPE	About 0.3–0.8 g/10 min	About 0.950–0.962 g/cm³, higher with pigment	PP from caps, fragrance odor, ESCR of the blend
Injection molded pails, crates and pallets	Injection or bulky rigid rHDPE	About 3–10 g/10 min	About 0.950–0.962 g/cm³	MI swings lot to lot, PP and filler. Bottle-stream pellets flow too slowly for most injection molds unless blended with higher-flow prime
Corrugated drainage pipe and profiles	Mixed-color rHDPE, black	About 0.3–1 g/10 min	About 0.950–0.962 g/cm³	Whether your pipe standard and state DOT accept recycled content. AASHTO M 294 has allowed it since its 2018 edition, with added tests such as oxidative induction time and un-notched constant ligament stress (ASTM F3181), and each state DOT decides whether to accept it. Also PP and ash limits. Pressure and potable water pipe stay on listed prime compound
Film (bags and liners)	Bottle-stream rHDPE as a minor blend share; film-stream rHDPE is scarce	Bottle-stream pellets about 0.3–0.9 g/10 min; HMW film resins are bought by HLMI at 21.6 kg	About 0.950–0.962 g/cm³	Gels and filtration fineness. Thin HDPE film runs on very low-MI HMW resin, so recycled pellets often go into thicker bags and liners as a blend share

Typical published windows to start the conversation, not specifications. The recycler’s own spec and the lot COA govern. Compare MI only at the same load and temperature.

Odor, gels, PP, ash, moisture and filtration

Odor. Jug streams can carry a sour dairy smell, and mixed-color streams carry detergent fragrance. Hot washing, vented extruders and hot-air treatment after pelletizing reduce it. Agree on an odor test before the first order, such as a sealed jar of pellets warmed for a set time, and keep a reference sample that passed.
Gels and specks. Unmelted or crosslinked PE, label fibers, other polymers and burnt material survive washing. In bottles they show as bumps or pinholes in thin walls; in film they show as gels. Ask for a gel or speck count on a pressed plaque or a short film, at the share you will run.
PP contamination. Caps, labels and closures bring polypropylene into HDPE streams. PP does not mix with HDPE and acts as a weak point for impact and ESCR. A DSC scan (ASTM D3418) shows HDPE melting near 130–135°C / 266–275°F and any PP as a second peak near 160–165°C / 320–329°F. A lab can estimate the PP share against known blends; very small amounts can be missed.
Ash and filler. Ash by ASTM D5630 measures what does not burn: pigments such as titanium dioxide, fillers from mineral-filled items, and dirt. Natural jug pellets run very low ash. Mixed-color and injection-stream pellets run higher. Rising ash also raises density, so check both together.
Moisture. HDPE does not absorb water, but washed and water-cooled pellets can carry surface or trapped moisture. That shows up as voids, splay or bubbles in thick parts and lacing in film. Recycler sheets often list a maximum moisture of about 0.05–0.1%. Ask how it is tested.
Screen and melt filtration. Recyclers filter the melt through screens or continuous melt filters. Ask for the opening in microns, not only a mesh number, since mesh counts with different wire sizes do not match. Crates and pipe tolerate coarser filtration than thin-wall bottles and film. Finer filtration costs more and lowers throughput, so it shows up in price.

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Blending rHDPE with prime, and the ESCR trap

Most rHDPE runs as a share blended with prime, or in a middle layer between prime skins. The blend often looks fine on paper: MI and density land inside your window. The risk is stress-crack resistance, which the COA rarely reports.

Natural jug resin in a copolymer bottle. Jug resin is homopolymer. Blending it into a detergent bottle grade raises density and can cut ESCR by more than its share suggests. A bottle that passed on prime can crack in the field.
PP in the blend. A few percent of PP from caps can weaken a bottle or pail more than a large MI shift would.
Fixing flow with high-MI prime. Adding a higher-flow prime to speed up a slow recycled lot raises MI and generally lowers ESCR.
Dilution does not remove defects. Prime lowers the gel and odor level per part, but a gel in the wall is still a gel.

Test the blend at the exact ratio you will run. Use ASTM D1693 bent-strip ESCR at the same condition and reagent strength as your prime, and test filled bottles with the real product (ASTM D2561, reapproved in 2023, is the stress-crack test for blow-molded PE containers). Repeat the test when the recycled stream, the recycler or the blend ratio changes. See environmental stress cracking and HDPE blow molding resin.

FDA letters of no objection and state recycled-content laws

Food contact. FDA reviews recycling processes case by case under a voluntary program. When it is satisfied, it issues an informal letter of no objection (NOL) saying PCR made by that recycler’s process is suitable for stated conditions of use: food types, temperatures and sometimes a maximum recycled share or a limited article type. The letter covers the process and those conditions. It is not issued per lot, and FDA does not approve or certify recycled resin. Ask for the letter, check its conditions of use against your package, and get lot paperwork showing the pellets came from that process. FDA lists the letters it has issued in its recycled plastics database. Fewer HDPE processes hold letters than PET, so food-contact rHDPE is limited and often sold under contract. Natural color alone does not make a pellet food-grade. See FDA food-contact compliance.

State laws. Several states, including California, Washington and New Jersey, set minimum post-consumer content for some products, such as beverage containers, household cleaning and personal care containers, rigid containers and trash bags. Rates often rise over time, and states can delay or waive deadlines. Most of these laws count only post-consumer content, and the duty often sits with the brand that sells the product. Ask your customer which law applies and how the percentage is measured. See adding recycled content.

APR bale specs, the SMP index and pellet prices

rHDPE pricing starts with bales. The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) and the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) publish model bale specifications for HDPE natural bottles, HDPE color bottles and select containers, and HDPE injection bulky rigids, revised in July 2025. They say what belongs in each bale and set limits on contamination such as other plastics, film and metal. They are benchmarks; each buyer’s own spec governs.

The Secondary Materials Pricing (SMP) index from RecyclingMarkets.net reports what recycling facilities are paid for sorted, baled material, including natural HDPE and color HDPE, as national and regional averages. Natural bales often trade well above color bales because jug supply is short and demand from bottle and brand programs is strong.

A bale is not a pellet. Between them sit sorting, grinding, washing, float-sink separation, drying, melt filtration and pelletizing, plus yield loss to caps, labels, dirt and water. So pellets cost much more per pound than bales, and a bale price move reaches pellets late and only in part. Pellet prices also feel prime: when prime HDPE is cheap, buyers without a mandate switch back and mixed-color pellets soften. Natural and food-contact pellets can sell close to or above prime because laws and brand targets set that demand. We do not post prices. See how resin is priced.

Checking an rHDPE COA

COA line	What to look for	Why it matters
Lot number and content	Lot matches every gaylord label; PCR or PIR and the percentage tie to that lot	Backs the content you report and traces any problem
Melt index	A measured value inside your agreed window at 190°C / 374°F, 2.16 kg; HLMI at 21.6 kg if you buy by HLMI	The fastest check for a stream or blend shift
Density	Measured by ASTM D1505 or D792, inside your window	Higher density means stiffer and lower ESCR; pigment and filler raise it
Ash	ASTM D5630, below your limit	Flags filler, pigment and dirt
PP or other polyolefin	DSC result, or a stated maximum and how it was found	PP weakens impact and ESCR
Moisture	Below the recycler’s stated maximum	Voids and splay in thick parts
Filtration	Micron rating of the screen or melt filter	Gels and specks in thin walls and film
Color and odor	Lab* or yellowness against your plaque; odor rating by the agreed method	Customer acceptance
ESCR	Often absent or a typical value, not a lot test	If your bottles depend on it, test the blend yourself

Keep a sealed retain of every lot. See the incoming inspection checklist.

How to qualify a recycled HDPE source

Pin down the stream. Natural, mixed-color, color-sorted, injection or PIR, and the bale grade the recycler buys. A change of bale source can change the resin even under the same product name.
Ask how the recycler makes it. Wash temperature, float-sink separation, melt filter type and micron rating, degassing or odor treatment, and whether it blends output in homogenizing silos. Silo blending evens out lot-to-lot swings.
Get lot history. MI, density, ash and color for three or more recent lots. The spread between lots matters more than the average.
Sample the lot you will buy. A typical sample tells you less than a sample from the actual lot.
Trial at your target share. Step up from a low share and test what makes the part work: ESCR, drop, top load, warp, color and odor. Stop where the part still passes with margin.
Write the acceptance windows down. MI range, density, ash, PP, moisture, color, odor and gels, plus content paperwork and, for food, the FDA letter. Agree on them before the first order.
Keep a fallback. Recycler output follows bale supply. Qualify a second stream or keep a prime or blend option approved. See qualifying a second source.

Packaging and shipping

Package	Typical net weight	Notes
Gaylord (box with liner)	About 1,000–1,600 lb	The most common way to buy rHDPE pellets. PCR polyolefin pellets pack about 30–36 lb/ft³, but pellet size and fines vary more than prime, so check net weight on the quote
Bulk bag	About 1,000–2,200 lb	Needs a bag unloader or discharge frame
Boxed truckload	About 40,000–45,000 lb	Lower freight per pound than LTL gaylords
Bulk truck	About 40,000–50,000 lb	Mostly large bottle and pipe plants under contract. You need a silo
Hopper railcar	About 180,000–210,000 lb	Uncommon for rHDPE pellets; most recyclers ship by truck

Typical weights; confirm on the quote. See gaylord vs. LTL vs. truckload.

Common questions

Is natural rHDPE the same as food-grade rHDPE?

No. Natural describes the color and the stream. Food-grade means the pellets came from a recycling process that holds an FDA letter of no objection covering your food type and temperature. Ask for the letter and lot paperwork that ties the pellets to that process.

Why do bottles made with recycled HDPE crack when prime bottles did not?

Often stress-crack resistance. Natural rHDPE from milk jugs is homopolymer with low ESCR, and PP from caps adds weak points. MI and density can look normal while ESCR falls. Test the blend at your exact ratio by ASTM D1693 and with filled bottles.

What melt index is recycled HDPE?

It depends on the stream. Natural and mixed-color bottle pellets often run about 0.2–0.9 g/10 min, and injection-stream pellets about 3–10 g/10 min, both at 190°C / 374°F and 2.16 kg. Buy a window, not a single value.

How do I check rHDPE for polypropylene?

Ask for a DSC scan (ASTM D3418). HDPE melts near 130–135°C / 266–275°F; a second peak near 160–165°C / 320–329°F means PP. A lab can estimate the share against known blends.

Is recycled HDPE cheaper than virgin?

Not always. Mixed-color and PIR pellets are often below prime. Natural and food-contact pellets can cost close to or more than prime because supply is short. We do not post prices; send the stream, MI, quantity and ship-to city for a quote.

What is the minimum order for rHDPE pellets?

One gaylord, about 1,000 to 1,600 lb. To qualify a production grade, ask about a sample of about 50 lb, available upon credit approval, from the lot you would buy.

If your grade is not listed, tell us what you run. We source commodity, engineering and specialty resins.

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What to send for an accurate quote

The grade name, from any supplier, or a data sheet
Color (natural, black or a custom match)
Fill type and percentage, if any
Melt flow, if you know it
Quantity for this order and what you use in a year
Ship-to city and state or province

Get recycled HDPE matched to your part

Send the stream, the melt index window, color, the recycled content you must hit and what the part has to pass. A polymer chemist checks the source against your part, and every prime lot from our suppliers ships with a COA. We aim to send your quote within one to three business days.