The Challenge of Plastic Film Waste

Plastic film—including shrink wrap, stretch film, pallet wrap, and plastic packaging—is one of the most challenging waste streams for businesses to manage. Its low density and high volume mean it takes up significant space and is expensive to dispose of in loose form. But baled plastic film is a valuable recyclable commodity.

Why Baling Plastic Film Makes Sense

Baling plastic film reduces its volume by up to 90%, producing dense, uniform bales that are easy to store and transport. More importantly, clean, well-baled plastic film can be sold to recyclers—turning a disposal cost into a revenue stream. For distribution centres and manufacturers that handle large quantities of pallet wrap, this can be significant.

Separating Plastic Types for Maximum Value

To maximise the recycling value of your plastic waste, bale different plastic types separately. PET, HDPE, plastic film, and mixed plastics have different recycling values, and clean, segregated bales fetch higher prices from specialist recyclers. A baler that can handle multiple material types lets you produce dedicated bales for each plastic stream.

Choosing a Baler for Plastic Film

Vertical balers handle smaller volumes of plastic film, while semi-automatic horizontal balers are better for medium to large operations. For high-volume plastic film waste, a semi-automatic baler like the MHM XL60 or XL70 provides the throughput and bale density needed. See our plastic balers page for suitable models.

Best Practices for Plastic Film Recycling

Keep plastic film clean and dry, remove contaminants like labels and tape where possible, bale different plastic types separately, and store bales under cover. The cleaner and more segregated your bales, the higher the price you'll receive from recyclers.

Start Recycling Your Plastic Film

MHM UK LTD manufactures balers suited to plastic film recycling across all volume ranges. Contact us for a quote or explore our plastic balers to find the right machine.