Recycled plastic quality checklist for buyers

Most disputes in recycled plastic trade come from a spec that was never written down. Use this checklist before you confirm an order.

Before the quote

• Polymer and grade (for example "PP raffia grade", "HDPE pipe grade").
• Form: scrap, regrind, agglomerate, granules or compound.
• Colour and how consistent it must be.
• Key specs with tolerances: MFI, density, moisture, ash or filler, and IV for PET.
• Quantity, monthly volume, packing and delivery city.

Before bulk

• Photos and a short video of the actual lot, not a catalogue picture.
• A sample from the same lot, run on your own machine.
• A test report, ideally from a third-party lab for first orders.
• Written acceptance terms: what happens if a lot is outside the spec.

On arrival

• Check weight against the invoice.
• Open random bags: colour, flake size, dust, foreign material.
• Test moisture and MFI on a sample before running the full lot.
• Keep a retained sample from every delivery.

Simple in-house tests

• Float test: PP and PE float in water. PET, PVC, ABS and filled grades sink. Floating pieces in a PET lot mean cap or label contamination.
• Visual melt: melt a few pellets on a hot plate and look for specks, bubbles (moisture) or smoke.
• Trial run: nothing replaces a short production run on your own machine.

On PlasticSetu, every quotation states the grade, quantity, rate, GST and freight terms in writing, and you can ask for samples before you commit to bulk.