Click image to enlarge

Food Grade (HDPE) Plastic Pallets

Considering an investment in HDPE plastic pallets? There are a variety of materials to choose from—including the virgin resin HDPE pallets we offer here at Growers’ Goods.

And what, exactly, is a virgin resin HDPE pallet, and is it considered a Food Grade Pallet? There are a lot of different types of plastics out there—like PVC, PET, and HDPE—and you can choose recycled or virgin products. To help you understand the advantages of HDPE, we’ll explain more below.

What is HDPE Plastic?

HDPE stands for “high density polyethylene.” It’s a thermoplastic polymer that is made from petroleum—and it’s one of the most versatile plastics in production. You’ll find it used all over the place, especially where food is concerned. HDPE is used in plastic cutting boards, milk jugs, plastic bottles, and more – including Food Grade Pallets.

Outside of food (and our pallets), you’ll also find HDPE used in a variety of industries. Plastic surgeons use it for facial and skeletal reconstructions, 3-D printers use it, and it’s often found in wood-plastic composites in the construction industry.
It’s popular because it’s durable, featuring a high tensile strength plus a big strength-to-tensile ratio, which basically means that an HDPE plastic pallet is quite sturdy despite being a rather lightweight material.

Food Grade Pallets - Virgin Versus Recycled HDPE

These days, lots of us are being careful to minimize our environmental impact—which is always a good thing. That might lead you to choosing recycled plastic pallets over virgin resin products (“virgin” meaning that the product is made with fresh, never-before-used plastic).

But is that the best choice? In some applications where strength doesn’t matter as much, it can be. However, if you’re relying on your pallets to carry a heavy load, then virgin plastic may be the better, more sustainable choice.

That’s because the recycling process stresses the molecular structure of plastic, which weakens it. The more times it has been recycled, the weaker it becomes. You’re a lot less likely to end up throwing out or recycling pallets made with virgin plastic resin because it’s a lot tougher than recycled plastic resin.

Another reason to choose virgin HDPE is that this material specifically is considered food-safe by the FDA. Recycled HDPE can be a different story. The FDA reviews recycled HDPE products on a case-by-case basis whereas all virgin HPDE products are considered food safe because they’re corrosion-resistant, don’t leach chemicals, and don’t absorb much moisture.

Choose Growers’ Goods for HDPE Plastic Pallets

If you’re looking for durable HDPE plastic pallets made from virgin resin, we have a variety of options that will suit your needs. Check out our products to find skids and pallets ideal for any agricultural or food production application!  Contact us for more information or view our other entire selection of plastic pallets including:
 
x
Thank you!