Polyethylene (PE)

Polyethylene (PE)

Polyethylene (PE) is formed by the polymerization of ethylene. PE, which comprises low density (LDPE), high density (HDPE), and linear low density (LLDPE) grades, represents the single-largest category of the world’s major thermoplastics. PE remains a relatively low-cost and versatile polymer used in a wide range of molded and extruded applications, including, for example, household and food containers, toys, food and nonfood packaging film and sheet, retail bags, trash bags, geomembranes, pipe, house wrap, pails, totes, crates, caps, closures, and bottles. Like other polymers, PE also typically competes against other traditional nonpolymer materials such as aluminum, steel, wood, cardboard, and glass.