Materials we deal · HDPE scrap
HDPE jerry can scrap
HDPE jerry can scrap is the waste stream from blow-moulded containers: 5, 10, 20 and 25 litre cans used for edible oil, lubricants, chemicals, detergents, pesticides and water. Blow-moulding grades are high molecular weight, tough and stress-crack resistant, so the scrap is a strong, clean feed for regrind — provided the contents are dealt with. Residue is the whole story with jerry cans, and how well it is removed decides whether the material becomes a food-adjacent product or a drain pipe. Al Qaryan Industries buys and recycles HDPE jerry can scrap at our Karachi facility.
What HDPE jerry can scrap is
A jerry can is blow moulded from high-density polyethylene with a density around 0.945 to 0.955 g/cm3 and a relatively low melt flow, because the parison has to hold its shape while it is inflated and the finished container has to resist stress cracking when it is filled with oil or solvent. That combination produces a thick, tough wall and a polymer with excellent recycling characteristics.
The scrap appears in several forms: whole cans from industrial users, crushed cans from collection, moulding scrap and purging from the blow-moulding plant itself, and misprinted or rejected production. Plant scrap is the cleanest possible stream — it has never held a product — and it is priced accordingly. Post-consumer cans are the larger volume and the harder job.
The HDPE jerry can scrap grades we buy
Content history is the first question we ask, because it determines the whole processing route. Colour is the second.
| Blow-moulding plant scrap | Never filled, single colour, no residue. The top grade. |
|---|---|
| Edible oil cans | Requires hot washing and deodorising; widely available and good quality after washing. |
| Lubricant and hydraulic oil cans | Heavy hydrocarbon residue; needs solvent-free hot wash and extended drying. |
| Detergent and household chemical cans | Surfactant residue; washes out well with hot caustic. |
| Water and beverage cans | The cleanest post-consumer grade and the easiest to process. |
| Pesticide and agricultural chemical cans | Handled only with documented triple-rinsing; excluded from any product that could contact food. |
| Mixed colour cans | Black, white, blue, natural; kept separate where volumes allow. |
Where our HDPE jerry can scrap comes from
Lubricant blenders, edible oil packers and detergent manufacturers are the main industrial sources. They generate consistent volumes of known-content cans, often in a single colour, and they need a compliant disposal route rather than a landfill. We collect on a schedule and provide documentation for their records.
Workshops, garages and industrial estates supply smaller quantities of oil cans, typically aggregated by local traders. Household chemical and detergent containers arrive through commercial waste collection. We also import crushed HDPE container bales from the Gulf when the price supports it, generally single-colour loads from kerbside schemes.
Specification we work to
Blow-moulding grade HDPE is a strong, low-flow material, and the recycled version keeps most of that character. What changes is odour and colour, not mechanical performance, provided the washing is done properly.
| Polymer | High-density polyethylene, blow-moulding grade |
|---|---|
| Typical density | 0.945 to 0.955 g/cm3 for the virgin resin; measured on regrind per lot |
| Melt flow index | Low, typical of blow-moulding grades; reported per lot |
| Form supplied | Regrind, washed flake or pellets |
| Colour | Natural, white, black, blue, mixed |
| Residue | Hot washing and deodorising; residual odour assessed before dispatch |
| Moisture | Checked and reported |
| Packing | 25 kg bags, jumbo bags or bulk |
| Documents | Batch report; third-party inspection on request |
Residue, odour and the limits of washing
A jerry can that held motor oil does not become food-grade material by being washed. Hot caustic washing removes the bulk of the residue; extended drying and aeration remove the volatiles that cause odour. What remains is a material that is perfectly good for a drainage pipe or a cable cover and completely unsuitable for a container that will hold drinking water. Being clear about that boundary is what keeps a recycler honest.
Chemical containers are treated with more caution still. Cans that held pesticides or industrial solvents are only accepted with documented triple-rinsing, and the recycled output is confined to applications where residue cannot migrate into anything sensitive. Anything unidentified is rejected — a single unlabelled drum of the wrong chemistry can contaminate a wash line for days.
Caps, handles and labels are separated the same way as for other HDPE streams. Caps are usually PP or a different HDPE grade, handles can be PP, and labels are paper or film. Each is removed before granulation because each produces a defect in the finished part.
How we collect and buy HDPE jerry can scrap
For industrial generators we set up scheduled collection against an agreed grade and provide the paperwork their environmental reporting needs. For traders we buy by weight after inspection, with the content history and colour mix agreed before the load leaves.
Baled cans are inspected for bulk density and for anything that should not be in a bale — metal, glass, liquid, or a different polymer. Wet loads, meaning cans with liquid still inside, are rejected or heavily downgraded because liquid is transport weight we cannot use and a hazard in the yard.
How we recycle HDPE jerry can scrap
Cans are de-capped and de-labelled, crushed, then granulated. The flake goes through a hot caustic wash with detergent, a rinse stage, and mechanical drying, followed by a density separation to remove any polypropylene caps or labels that survived. Material destined for a higher-grade end use gets an additional aeration stage to reduce odour. Finally it is either bagged as flake or pelletised with filtration.
Our own two PVC extrusion lines do not consume HDPE, so the HDPE output is sold to pipe makers, moulders and rotomoulders across Pakistan. That independence is useful: we sell the material on its measured properties rather than pushing it into our own products regardless of fit.
What is made from recycled HDPE jerry can scrap
Washed HDPE from containers is a dependable feed for anything that needs toughness and chemical resistance.
- Drainage pipe, corrugated pipe and conduit
- Cable protection covers and duct
- Injection-moulded crates, bins and pallets
- Rotomoulded tanks for non-potable water and industrial storage
- Blow-moulded containers for non-food industrial contents
- HDPE sheet and board for fabrication
- Garden furniture, planters and landscaping products
What moves the price of HDPE jerry can scrap
HDPE jerry can scrap is priced off blow-moulding grade virgin HDPE, with two adjustments that matter more than the headline resin price: content history and washing cost. A load of edible-oil cans from a single packer is worth significantly more than a mixed load of oil, detergent and unknown chemical containers, because the first washes clean and the second needs a longer, hotter, more expensive process before the output is saleable.
Volume patterns follow industry rather than season. Lubricant blenders and edible oil packers generate steady monthly quantities, so a collection arrangement with them is the most reliable supply in this stream. Workshop and garage material arrives in small lots aggregated by traders, and its price reflects the aggregation work somebody else has already done.
Specifying HDPE jerry can scrap: what to send us
- What the cans previously contained — edible oil, lubricant, detergent, water, or agricultural chemical
- Whether pesticide or solvent containers are included, and whether triple-rinsing is documented
- Colour mix: natural, white, black, blue or mixed
- Whether the cans are whole, crushed or baled, and the approximate bulk density
- Approximate monthly tonnage and whether collection can be scheduled
- Whether caps, handles, labels and any liquid remain in the containers
Buying HDPE jerry can scrap from Al Qaryan Industries
Al Qaryan Industries buys HDPE jerry can scrap from lubricant blenders, edible oil packers, detergent manufacturers, workshops and traders, and supplies washed HDPE regrind and pellets to processors across Pakistan. We handle roughly 500 tons of plastic a month and can absorb both scheduled industrial volumes and one-off clearances.
Selling to us: tell us what the cans held, the colour, whether they are baled or loose, and the tonnage per month. For industrial generators we will set up a collection schedule and provide the documentation your compliance records need. WhatsApp +92 333 201 0506 for a fast assessment.
Buying from us: specify the application and whether odour or colour matters. For drainage, duct and moulded industrial products, washed container regrind is an economical and reliable choice, and we will send a trial load so you can confirm it runs on your line.
Questions buyers and suppliers ask
Can recycled oil cans be used for food packaging?
No. Hot washing removes the bulk of the residue but not enough to support a food-contact claim. Recycled oil-can material goes into drainage pipe, duct, crates and similar industrial products.
How do you handle pesticide containers?
Only with documented triple-rinsing, and the output is confined to applications where residue cannot migrate. Unidentified containers are rejected outright.
Do you buy loose cans as well as baled?
Yes. Baled loads are cheaper to transport, so the rate reflects the handling. Loose loads are accepted when the tonnage justifies a dedicated vehicle.
Why does colour matter for jerry can scrap?
Because natural and white regrind can go into light-coloured products while black and mixed regrind is confined to dark ones. Sorting by colour at source increases the value of the load.
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