• Low density polyethyleneImage by Flickr.com, courtesy of How can I recycle this
  
  

Facts

• Low-density polyethylene is produced when gaseous ethylene is placed under extremely high pressure and high temperatures while in the presence of oxide initiators. The resulting polymer has low and short branch structures, allowing for greater flexibility.
  
  

Benefits

• Low-density polyethylene is cheap and offers excellent chemical resistance. It maintains superb strength at low temperatures and can be either opaque or made into transparent thin films.
  
  

Uses

• Low-density polyethylene has countless uses and can be found in such a wide range of products as squeeze bottles, bowls, lids, gaskets, toys and chemically resistant fittings.
  
  

Considerations

• Low-density polyethylene has a low maximum operating temperature and is flammable. It loses strength and stiffness at high temperatures, offers poor ultraviolet protection, and has high gas permeability, particularly with carbon dioxide.
  
  

History

• Imperial Chemical Industries first discovered low-density polyethylene in 1933. Its first commercial use came during World War II, when it was used as insulation on radar cables.