JWCE WC 3 & 4 SHRED machines next to each other with text "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle"

A Brief Guide to Industrial Plastic Shredders

| | Industrial Processing News

Plastic shredders perform essential tasks; they can reduce the size of waste for recycling purposes, and process plastics for reuse. Any manufacturer plant that has zero-waste goals will want to invest in a plastic shredder machine. However, it’s important to note that not all shredders are created equal—commercial plastic shredders are designed to handle different types of plastics, and different models will feature varying speeds, cutter sizes, torque and specifications.

In this brief guide, we’ll cover the benefits of plastic shredding, as well as how to select the right plastic shredder for your application.

Let’s start by answering a common question that our team at JWC Environmental is often asked.

Can You Use a Wood Chipper to Shred Plastic?

Some people are tempted to put non-wood items like plastic into a wood chipper, but these machines are designed to process wood. While it’s possible to shred plastic using a wood chipper, it’s not advisable. Shards of hard plastic can fly out of the chipper causing injuries. And, plastic can jam the chipper, leading to machine damage or destruction. Ultimately, you should leave this type of task to a specialized plastic shredder machine.

The Benefits of Waste Management

There are many reasons why you should adopt waste management processes. They not only help to collectively create a cleaner and healthier future, but they also help manufacturers save money.

The main benefit of waste management is that it can help your business’s bottom line. You can bring in revenue by selling your recycled materials. And, if you purchase reused materials, you’ll also use less energy during production.

You may also be required to destroy outdated, defective, or discontinued products. If you’re in this situation, and still want to implement waste management practices, you can use a specialized product destruction shredding system. This type of system separates gels and liquids from plastic packaging before you shred or grind them. This protects your brand while protecting the environment.

If you already have waste management guidelines in place, and are just looking for the right type of plastic shredder—we’re here to help.

Selecting the Right Plastic Shredder

The type of plastic shredder you need depends on the type of waste your business produces or receives.

Shredders are designed to handle a wide variety of plastics, but it’s important to choose one that has the right specifications, power and cutter size.

For smaller jobs, like reducing specimen vials at labs or smaller plastic recyclables, a small industrial shredder like JWC Environmental’s 1-SHRED compact shredder can get the job done.

Mid-sized industrial shredders like 3-SHRED and 3-SHRED-2 can handle tougher solids and larger volumes. They can be optimized for your type of plastic waste with varying cutter configurations and materials. They can also be adapted with custom hoppers and stands. They come with options for varied cutting chamber lengths, and 5-10 horsepower (4 to 7.5 kilowatts) motors. JWC also carries a 4-SHRED-2 with strong shafts and many motor, hopper, shaft, and cutter material options.

If you’re handling hard plastics and high volumes of tough plastics, you’ll need the largest and most powerful heavy-duty shredder. Our 7-SHRED-2 has a two-shaft system with hardened steel cutters that delivers high torque at slower speeds. It’s our most powerful shredder, and it can be fully-customized to meet your needs.

Interested in Learning More? Contact JWC Environmental Today!

JWC Environmental can help you determine which shredder can best handle the plastics you need to process. We’re an industry-leading manufacturer of plastic shredders, and we can fully customize any model we carry to meet your unique needs. Whether you need to destroy products and packaging to protect your brand or you’re moving toward a zero-waste operation, we’re committed to helping you accomplish your goals.

Fill out our online form today to learn more about our solutions and to request a quote.

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