Why are plastic HDPE tubs not accepted in most community recycling programs?
Although plastic bottles and tubs are manufactured from high-density polyethylene (HDPE), the tubs are generally not recyclable. HDPE bottles are produced through a blowmolding process, while HDPE tubs are produced through a injection molding process. The melt flow indices is different which means that the two materials melt at slightly different temperatures. This can cause problems with quality control and the manufacturing equipment.
