Overview
PET preform scrap is process waste from injection stretch-blow or preform manufacturing: start-up, changeover, quality holds, or edge trim. Clean PET preform material denotes lower expected contamination from caps, labels, or foreign polymers when sorted at source.
PET is a polyester with glass transition and melting behaviour distinct from polyolefins; intrinsic viscosity (IV) links to molecular weight and is critical for bottle, sheet, and strapping applications. Preforms are compact, high-bulk-density feed compared with bottle bales, often with simpler label load.
Material characteristics
Preform scrap can vary in colour (clear, blue, green tints) and may carry dust, oil from machine chains, or mixed lots if not segregated. Clean streams still require definition of cap and sleeve policy. Neck finish fragments may be present depending on gate or cutter practice.
Processing and applications
- Wash lines producing flake for extrusion or sale
- Solid-state polymerisation or IV build steps where equipment permits
- Pelletisation for sheet, strapping, or fibre spinning
Quality factors
Moisture before extrusion must be controlled to avoid hydrolytic IV loss. Metal detection is relevant if ferrous contamination from handling equipment is possible. Non-PET polymers (PE caps, PVC seals) must be managed in the sort or wash line.
Origin: South Africa.
