high density polyethylene

So I've been doing some research on food safe plastics. Obviously this won't be used for this project, but I have found out a lot about different kinds of plastics and their applications. Definitely information I will keep in mind for future productions of my salt and pepper shakers and perhaps my wine stoppers. I contacted a few of the plastic resin/pellet distributors asking for a sample of their product (all the companies I found only sell in bulk/huge amounts). No response yet, but we'll see.

I found this info on Delicious Organics:

Safer plastics are:
#1 polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) - usually for soft drinks, water bottles, ketchup and salad dressing, peanut butter, pickle, jelly and jam jars
#2 high density polyethylene (HDPE) - used mostly for milk, water and juice bottles, yogurt and margarine tubs, cereal box liners, and grocery, trash and retail bags
#4 low density polyethylene (LDPE) - bread and frozen food bags and squeezable bottles
#5 polypropylene (PP) - margarine tubs
The vast majority of Tupperware products for food contact applications in the current line are manufactured from polyethylene and polypropylene. Linear low density polyethylene is used in the manufacture of many seals, including very large ones. High density polyethylene is used in the manufacture of the ice cube tray, the Freeze-N-Save Container, the Jel-Ring mold and the Ice Tups Set.

From there I found this on the green guide:

Before you know which type of plastic container to buy the next time you hit the store, you first need to know how to tell them apart. Plastics are typically classified by a number from #1 to #7, each number representing a different type of resin. That number is usually imprinted on the bottom of your container; flip it upside down, and you'll see a recycling triangle with the number in the middle.

Here's a quick breakdown of plastic resin types:
#1 polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE)Product examples: Disposable soft drink and water bottles, cough-syrup bottles
#2 high density polyethylene (HDPE)/Product examples: Milk jugs, toys, liquid detergent bottles, shampoo bottles
#3 polyvinyl chloride (V or PVC)Product examples: Meat wrap, cooking oil bottles, plumbing pipes
#4 low density polyethylene (LDPE)Product examples: Cling wrap, grocery bags, sandwich bags
#5 polypropylene (PP)Product examples: Syrup bottles, yogurt cups/tubs, diapers
#6 polystyrene (PS)Product examples: Disposable coffee cups, clam-shell take-out containers
#7 other (misc.; usually polycarbonate, or PC, but also polylactide, or PLA, plastics made from renewable resources)Product examples: Baby bottles, some reusable water bottles, stain-resistant food-storage containers, medical storage containers

Safer Plastics
#2HDPE, #4LDPE and #5PP
These three types of plastic are the healthiest. They transmit no known chemicals into your food and they're generally recyclable; #2 is very commonly accepted by municipal recycling programs, but you may have a more difficult time finding someone to recycle your #4 and #5 containers.
#1 PET
#1 bottles and containers are fine for single use and are widely accepted by municipal recyclers. You won't find many reusable containers made from #1, but they do exist. It's also best to avoid reusing #1 plastic bottles; water and soda bottles in particular are hard to clean, and because plastic is porous, these bottles absorb flavors and bacteria that you can't get rid of.
PLA
PLA (polylactide) plastics are made from renewable resources such as corn, potatoes and sugar cane and anything else with a high starch content. The starch is converted into polylactide acid (PLA). Although you can't recycle these plant-based plastics, you can compost them in a municipal composter or in your backyard compost heap. Most decompose in about twelve days unlike conventional plastic, which can take up to 100 years.

I decided from this very informative site that I would search for where/how to buy HDPE or high density polyethylene. I searched for HDPE and recycled HDPE. Here are a few links I found.

Premier Plastic Resins
Plastic News
Reliable Resins (this one is an example of company with minimum order of 10,000 lbs)

Ecplaza had a search engine here are a couple I found there:
Plastic Resin
Recycled Polyethylene (from this, I found Brandincy-I emailed them)
Recycled Plastic

Indiana Polymers One of the few suppliers actually located in the U.S. Looked promising, I emailed them and am hoping for a response.
United Plastic Recycling They are a recycling plant, but I believe they also supply. I at least asked for a sample.
Vikoz Same thing. It said that they buy and sell any and all plastic.


So yea. I'll let you know if anyone gets back to me. I hope someone does.