Polyethylene (LDPE, LLDPE)
Low-density and linear low-density polyethylene: the soft, tough plastics behind most packaging film, and the largest single source of leaked plastic waste.
Pseudo-commodities · Commodity plastics · No. 46
- Single chemical
- Feedstock: Oil, gas or coal
- about 60 Mt a year of LDPE plus LLDPE (2024, indicative: 14% x 430.9 Mt); roughly 38 Mt LLDPE and 22 Mt LDPE (indicative split)
- 1.9 t CO₂e per t
- HS 390110, 390140
Two-thirds of all soft polyethylene becomes film, much of it used for less than a year before it is thrown away.
Chart: Illustration: Polyethylene (LDPE, LLDPE)
Where it comes from
Chart: Map of where it comes from
Ethylene from a steam cracker is polymerised, either at huge pressure for LDPE or at under 30 bar with a catalyst and a comonomer for LLDPE.
Three things to know
- LDPE and LLDPE make about 60 Mt a year, roughly 14% of the 431 Mt of plastics produced in 2024.
- PE capacity grew 3.8% a year for five years while demand grew 1.9%, and another 23 Mt is due in 2027-28.
- India requires flexible packaging to contain 10% recycled plastic in 2025-26, rising to 20% by 2027-28.
The journey
- 1 EthyleneAbout 1.02 t per tonne PE
- 2 ComonomerLLDPE adds 7-10% butene, hexene, octene
- 3 PolymerisationLDPE at 1,500-3,000 bar; LLDPE low
- 4 Pellets25 kg bags, 24-26 t per container
- 5 FilmWraps, pouches, carry bags, farm film