How to evaluate a PolyAl supplier
PolyAl is a post-consumer recyclate, not a virgin resin, so the usual datasheet-and-price evaluation is not enough. Judge a supplier on process discipline as much as on the numbers they publish. The checklist below is deliberately neutral — it applies to any operator, including us.
- Batch analysis per shipment — MFI, density and ash content confirmed on the actual lot you receive, not a generic average
- Conformity to a published standard — in Europe that increasingly means UNE 53925:2026 for the finished pellet
- Declared composition — the LDPE/HDPE/PP split and the aluminium content should be stated, not implied
- Aluminium content consistency — typically ≈10% by mass; large swings between batches signal an unstable feedstock mix
- MFI and density consistency batch-to-batch — the single biggest real-world failure mode in recycled polyolefin supply
- Traceability of the carton waste stream — can the supplier document where the material originates and how it was processed
- Washed vs unwashed grade clarity — a supplier should tell you plainly whether you are buying flakes that still need washing or a finished, dry pellet
- EU origin and logistics — where the material is processed and how it reaches you (Incoterm, packaging, minimum batch size)
- Scope 3 documentation — origin and recycled-content paperwork you can actually use in GHG Protocol or CSRD/ESRS E1 reporting, not a marketing claim
The European PolyAl landscape, by recycling route
There is no single 'PolyAl industry' — there are several distinct recycling routes that all start from the same waste stream (post-consumer packaging) and end up with different materials. Buyers should match the route to what their process actually needs, rather than treating every 'PolyAl supplier' as offering the same product. The routes below are not ranked; they solve different problems.
- Physical separation — operators such as Palurec (Germany) run a dry mechanical process that splits the fraction back into separate polyethylene and aluminium streams. This suits buyers who specifically want recovered PE and a separate aluminium stream, rather than a combined composite.
- AluLDPE / solvent-based routes — operators such as Plastigram (Czech Republic) produce an aluLDPE regranulate, a polyethylene composite that retains the aluminium load as a functional filler, sold for injection moulding and technical parts.
- Composite / engineering routes — operators such as Recon Polymers (Netherlands) convert PolyAl into engineered compounds for further processing, again keeping the aluminium as a reinforcing phase rather than separating it out.
- Pelletised polyolefin supply — GetPolyal (Spain) supplies the washed, dried and extruded PolyAl pellet as a recycled polyolefin for blending, produced following UNE 53925:2026, alongside unwashed and washed bale grades for buyers who prefer to run their own compounding step.
What to send in an RFQ
A useful RFQ for recycled PolyAl or recycled LDPE-based pellets gives the supplier enough to confirm availability and specification without asking for a price on incomplete information. Include:
- Grade — pellet, washed bale or unwashed bale
- Tonnage per year — even an approximate range helps a supplier plan allocation
- Process — injection moulding, profile extrusion, compression moulding or compounding
- Target MFI and density range for your tool or line
- Colour tolerance — the base material is grey-to-black, so state whether that is acceptable or you need a coloured compound built on top of it
- Packaging — big bag size, palletisation and any handling constraints at your plant
- Delivery Incoterm and destination country
GetPolyal grades at a glance
| Unwashed PolyAl (flakes) | Recyclers and compounders with their own washing line; lowest-cost entry point, not certified |
|---|---|
| Washed PolyAl (flakes) | Compounders and extruders who formulate their own blend; pre-pellet grade — UNE 53925:2026 applies to the granule; homogeneous, low moisture |
| PolyAl pellet | Direct injection moulding and extrusion on standard equipment; produced following UNE 53925:2026, stable MFI |