Materials we deal · HDPE pipe scrap
HDPE 80 scrap
HDPE 80 scrap comes from PE80 pipe — the generation of polyethylene pressure pipe that supplied most water and irrigation networks before PE100 took over. Municipalities and contractors in Pakistan still replace PE80 mains in quantity, and every decommissioned line releases a heavy, clean, well-identified polyethylene stream. Al Qaryan Industries buys HDPE 80 scrap across the country and recycles it in Karachi into regrind, agglomerate and pellets for non-pressure applications.
What HDPE 80 scrap is
PE80 is a high-density polyethylene with a minimum required strength of 8 MPa at 20 degrees Celsius over fifty years, the middle tier of the three pipe classifications defined in ISO 12162. It is typically a little less dense than PE100 and easier to process, which made it the standard choice for medium-pressure water distribution, irrigation mains and rural supply schemes from the 1980s through the 2000s. HDPE 80 scrap is what comes back when those networks are repaired, extended or replaced.
In recycling terms PE80 has one very useful property: because it is slightly lower in density and higher in melt flow than PE100, it blends more readily with other HDPE streams and processes on a wider range of machinery. That makes HDPE 80 scrap a practical feedstock for moulders who need a dependable, forgiving polyethylene rather than a tightly specified one.
Where our HDPE 80 scrap comes from
Our PE80 supply is dominated by decommissioned water mains. When a city replaces an old distribution line with PE100, the removed pipe is stacked on site, and the length of that stack decides whether it is worth transporting. We buy it where it is, cut it down to size and move it by the truckload. Irrigation departments and agricultural schemes are the second source: large-diameter PE80 mains from canal-fed systems that have been relined or abandoned.
Alongside the pipe stream we see PE80 in fabricated form — header manifolds, pump connections and tank outlets — and in mixed HDPE loads from traders where the grade is not documented. For those we test rather than assume, because a load sold as PE80 that is really PE100 still works for most non-pressure products but prices differently.
HDPE 80 scrap grades and what each is worth
Grade is assessed on three things: colour, wall thickness and cleanliness. Colour tells us the original application and therefore what contamination to expect. Wall thickness tells us the shredding time and the bulk density of the output. Cleanliness determines whether the material goes straight to the granulator or needs a full wash line.
| Black PE80 water main | Most common grade. Weathers well and keeps its properties after years in the ground. |
|---|---|
| Blue PE80 | Potable water pipe. Clean and easy to resell as regrind. |
| Irrigation main, large diameter | Heavy wall sections, usually soiled, needs cutting and washing. |
| PE80 fittings and manifolds | Thicker sections and moulded shapes; good melt quality. |
| Mixed HDPE pipe | Undocumented blend of PE63, PE80 and PE100. Bought as mixed and processed as mixed. |
| Slightly contaminated pipe | Pipe with soil, concrete or metal fittings still attached. Priced lower and cleaned in-house. |
Specification we work to
PE80 resin typically sits in a density band below PE100 with a slightly higher melt flow, which is exactly the combination that makes it easy to reprocess. As with every recycled grade we sell, the numbers that matter are measured on the lot and reported, not carried over from a datasheet.
| Polymer | High-density polyethylene, PE80 classification |
|---|---|
| Minimum required strength | MRS 8 MPa at 20 °C, 50 years (ISO 12162) |
| Typical density | Around 0.930 to 0.945 g/cm3 for virgin resin; confirmed on regrind per lot |
| Melt flow index | Higher than PE100 pipe resin; measured per lot for the buyer application |
| Colour | Black, blue, or mixed |
| Form supplied | Regrind, shredded, agglomerate or pellets |
| Moisture | Measured and reported before dispatch |
| Packing | 25 kg bags, jumbo bags or bulk by truckload |
| Documents | Batch test report; inspection by a third party on request |
Contamination and inspection
Pipe that has lived underground comes back with the ground attached. Soil inside the bore and packed into the corrugations is the main volume contaminant and the main cost, because it has to be removed with water and time. Concrete thrust blocks at joints are chipped off before shredding so they do not blunt the blades. Steel tie rods, repair clamps and tapping saddles are removed by magnet.
The subtle risks are the ones that cost a buyer a production run. Polypropylene fittings mixed into a PE load show up as hard islands in the melt. PEX insert fittings from plumbing work cannot be melted at all. And pipe that has carried agricultural chemicals needs to be identified by source; we do not blend unknown-service agricultural pipe into material destined for potable-water-adjacent products.
How we buy HDPE 80 scrap
We buy on weight after inspection, and we will look at a lot before it moves if it is large enough to justify the trip. For municipal and contractor clearances we quote against the assessed grade, arrange the transport, and handle the cutting on site. For traders, a photograph of the stack, an estimated tonnage and a location is enough to start.
Payment terms, loading arrangements and delivery scheduling are agreed up front in writing so there is no ambiguity on the day. Suppliers who deliver regularly get priority on scheduling, and clean single-grade loads always price better than mixed ones.
How we recycle HDPE 80 scrap
Small and medium diameter pipe is granulated directly. Large diameter sections are shredded first, then washed, then dried and pelletised with filtration. Because PE80 melts a little more easily than PE100, the pelletising stage runs at lower energy and produces a more uniform pellet, which is one reason buyers who need consistency ask for PE80-based regrind.
The output is inspected for colour consistency and screened for foreign particles before packing. We keep PE80 separate from PE100 wherever the volumes allow, and we tell buyers when a lot is a blend so the specification they set matches what they will receive.
What is made from recycled HDPE 80 scrap
Recycled PE80 is a workhorse material: strong, chemically resistant, weldable and easy to mould. It goes into products where those qualities pay and pressure certification does not apply.
- Corrugated and double-wall drainage pipe for roads and housing schemes
- Cable duct and telecom conduit
- HDPE sheets for lining, pond covers and industrial partitions
- Injection-moulded crates, bins and pallets
- Rotomoulded water tanks and storage containers
- Blow-moulded jerry cans and non-critical drums
- Compound feedstock for pipe makers running non-pressure lines
What moves the price of HDPE 80 scrap
HDPE 80 scrap is priced off the virgin HDPE curve, but with a discount that widens and narrows with how much of it is around. Decommissioned mains arrive in bursts: a city replaces a distribution zone and two or three hundred tonnes appear in a month, then nothing for a while. Buyers who can hold stock through the quiet weeks buy well; buyers who have to fill an order immediately pay whatever the moment demands.
The other half of the price is preparation. PE80 pipe that has been cut, drained and freed of concrete collars is worth noticeably more than the same pipe delivered in twenty-metre lengths full of trench water, because the second load costs us labour, water treatment and drying time before it becomes saleable regrind. Colour matters less than for PE100, since most of this stream is black and used in dark products anyway.
Specifying HDPE 80 scrap: what to send us
- Whether the material is PE80 for certain, or a mixed polyethylene load where the grade is undocumented
- Diameter range, whether the pipe is whole or cut, and whether the bore is drained
- Approximate tonnage and how quickly it needs to move off site
- Anything attached: concrete thrust blocks, repair clamps, tapping saddles, steel tie rods
- Colour split — black, blue, or mixed
- Site location and whether a truck can reach the material where it is stacked
Buying HDPE 80 scrap from Al Qaryan Industries
We buy HDPE 80 scrap from municipalities, contractors, irrigation departments and scrap traders, and we sell the recovered regrind and pellets to pipe manufacturers, moulders and compounders across Pakistan. With 500 tons a month of processing capacity at our Karachi facility, we can absorb both steady monthly volumes and one-off clearances.
For buyers, tell us the product you are running, the form you need and your monthly tonnage, and we will match it against current stock. For sellers, send photographs, tonnage and location on WhatsApp at +92 333 201 0506 and we will come back with an assessed grade and a rate.
Because HDPE 80 scrap is a steady, predictable stream, we are able to hold buffer stock and keep supplying through the months when demolition work slows down. If you need a consistent monthly allocation rather than a one-time purchase, that is the arrangement we prefer to build.
Questions buyers and suppliers ask
Is HDPE 80 better than PE100 for recycling?
It is easier to process because it melts more readily and tolerates a wider blending window. PE100 gives higher stiffness and density. Neither keeps a pressure rating after recycling, so the choice is really about the melt behaviour your machine needs.
Do you accept pipe with water still inside?
Yes, but it is priced as wet material and dried in our process. Draining pipe before delivery reduces transport weight and improves the rate you receive.
Can you supply HDPE 80 regrind in a fixed colour?
Black and blue are the colours we see most and can usually hold. For other colours we will confirm what is available rather than promise a match we cannot repeat.
What quantity do you buy?
From a single truckload upward. One-off clearances are welcome; recurring monthly tonnage is even better because it lets us plan import volumes around it.
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