Plastic Scrap Baling, Packing and Transport: A Dispatch Guide
PlasticSetu sourcing desk · 15 Oct 2026 · 5 min read · packing · baling · transport · dispatch
Good material can still arrive as a problem. Bags split in transit, film bales soak up rain, labels go missing and the weight at the buyer's weighbridge does not match yours. Most of these disputes come from packing and dispatch, not from the material itself, and most can be avoided with a little discipline.
This guide covers how to choose between bales and bags, how to label and protect material, and what to record before a truck leaves your yard.
Bales or bags: matching packing to the material
The right packing depends on the form of the material.
| Material form | Usual packing | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Film and bottles | Bales | Compressing reduces volume so more weight fits on a truck |
| Regrind and flakes | Jumbo bags or woven PP bags | Bags keep fines contained and lots separate |
| Agglomerate | Woven bags or jumbo bags | Can be dusty, so use tightly woven bags |
| Granules | Woven PP or HDPE bags, often with a liner | A liner helps keep moisture out |
| Lumps and large parts | Loose, in jumbo bags or crated | Agree the method with the buyer |
Loose film such as LDPE film scrap and LLDPE film scrap takes up a lot of space, so baling it is usually what makes transport worthwhile. PET bottle flakes and regrind are normally bagged.
Baling well
A good bale is dense, square and tied securely. Keep each bale to one polymer and one colour grade, and do not hide contamination in the centre. Buyers often cut open bales from the middle of a load, and a bale with stones or wet paper inside damages trust in the whole consignment. Use straps or wire that will hold through loading and unloading, and keep bale sizes consistent so the buyer can stack them.
Choosing and filling bags
Jumbo bags are convenient for forklift handling; smaller woven bags suit buyers who unload by hand. Whichever you use:
- use the same bag type and the same fill weight across a lot, so counting bags gives a rough check on weight;
- check bags for tears before filling, especially if they are reused;
- stitch or tie the mouth securely;
- for granules that pick up moisture, use bags with an inner liner.
Label every bale and bag
A label should show at least the polymer, grade or form, colour, lot reference and your name or code. Make labels waterproof or print directly on the bag. If a buyer finds one bad bag in a load, a lot reference lets both sides trace it, and keeps the problem limited to that lot rather than the whole relationship.
Keep material dry
Water adds weight that the buyer will not pay for, and moisture in regrind or granules causes defects during processing. Store packed material under a roof or on pallets with covers, never directly on wet ground. Cover loads on the truck with a sound tarpaulin, tied down at the edges. Read moisture in recycled plastic and the knowledge page on moisture content for why this matters on the buyer's side.
Loading the truck
Plan the load before the truck arrives. Load heavy, dense items at the bottom and lighter bags on top. Do not mix different lots in a way that makes them hard to separate at unloading; if a truck carries two lots, keep them in clearly divided sections. Make sure bales are tied down so they do not shift on the road.
Weighment and photos before dispatch
Weight disputes are common and are easiest to settle with records made at the time. Before dispatch:
- Agree with the buyer which weighbridge will be used for billing, and whether the empty truck will be weighed.
- Weigh the truck empty and loaded, and keep the weighment slip.
- Photograph the material before loading, the loaded truck with the number plate visible, and the covered load.
- Note the bag or bale count on the dispatch documents.
- Send the photos and weighment slip to the buyer when the truck leaves.
Documents such as the tax invoice, e-way bill where applicable and lorry receipt should travel with the load. See documents for plastic scrap trade for an overview.
Dispatching through PlasticSetu
When you supply through the PlasticSetu sourcing desk, the desk tracks dispatch and delivery and will ask for the same records described above. Visit sell plastic scrap to see how it works, then list your materials with your usual packing type mentioned in the listing.