SevenStars — Comprehensive Guide to Plastic Recycling Washing Machinery, Lines and Turnkey Production Systems

Chen Nathan
Jun 4, 2024
6 min read

Updated: Sep 25

SevenStars provides engineered solutions that turn mixed plastic scrap / waste plastic into clean flakes and high-value pellets for resale or in-house reuse. This guide explains, in clear practical terms, what a modern plastic recycling washing machinery / Lines / systems installation is, how a waste plastic recycling washing machinery / Lines functions, which factors drive price and cost, and what to include when you request a quote from a manufacturer or company—whether the equipment comes from China or another country. The focus is the technology and the business case: cleaning and recovery of feedstocks such as PET bottle flakes, HDPE PP film, woven bags, and plastic bags.

What is a plastic recycling washing line (production line / plant / system)?

A production line or plant for plastic recycling and washing is a coordinated assembly of machinery and equipment designed to receive, sort, clean, separate, dry and convert mixed scrap plastic into marketable material. These systems are modular: you can buy single machines, an integrated system, or a complete turnkey project that includes engineering, installation and commissioning. Typical feedstocks include: PET bottle flakes, plastic film (including agricultural film), HDPE PP film, woven bags, plastic bags, plastic drums, and a range of mixed polymers.

Why buyers and engineers want both “what it is” and “how it works”

Decision makers—procurement teams, plant managers and technical buyers—need two things before they ask for a firm price or place an order with a manufacturer or factory: a concise definition of the product and a transparent, step-by-step description of the process. Explaining what a line is and how it operates helps buyers estimate operating costs, evaluate equipment risk, compare proposals from different companies, and assess whether a turnkey project from one manufacturer or another (for example a supplier in China) matches their factory constraints and business goals.

How a typical waste plastic washing Lines works — step by step

This process is optimized for a broad range of scrap: PET bottles, HDPE/PP film, woven bags and mixed plastic bags.

Receiving and pre-sorting (manual + mechanical): bulk loads are inspected and sorted into rough fractions (PET, PE, PP, PVC). Removal of metals, stones and large contaminants at this stage reduces downstream cost and wear on machines.
Size reduction (shredding / granulation): twin-shaft shredders and granulators create uniform flakes or strips that expose surface contamination for effective washing.
Primary wash (friction / hot wash): friction washers and heated wash tanks remove labels, adhesives, oils and food residues—critical when processing heavily soiled agricultural film or HDPE PP film.
Density separation (float-sink): float-sink tanks separate light polymers (PE, PP) from heavier PET and PVC fractions to protect extrusion and improve final pellet quality.
Rinsing and deinking: multiple rinses and deinking stages deliver cleaner PET flakes suitable for higher value markets.
Dewatering and drying: centrifugal dewaterers, vacuum dryers or belt dryers lower moisture to acceptable levels for extrusion.
Extrusion and pelletizing: extruders with melt filtration and pelletizers produce consistent pellets or regrind suitable for injection molding, blow molding or film extrusion.
Water treatment and recycle: efficient ETP and water recycling systems cut long-term water costs and reduce operating risk.

This sequence applies to Scrap Plastic streams across polymers—PET, PVC, PP, PE, HDPE, LDPE, EVA, ELV, EPS, WPC, WEEE, PC, ABS—with process adjustments for specific materials.

Key equipment and system elements in a factory or plant

Conveyors, feed hoppers and metering systems
Twin-shaft shredders and granulators for size reduction
Friction washers, hot washers and caustic wash tanks for tough stains
Float-sink tanks, hydrocyclones and classifiers for density separation
Centrifugal dewatering systems and vacuum or belt dryers
Single or twin-screw extruders + strand or underwater pelletizers (pellets)
PLC control systems and optional NIR/optical sorters for purity improvement
Wastewater treatment units, sludge dewatering presses and chemical dosing systems

Materials compatibility and common feedstocks

SevenStars lines are engineered to process common feedstocks and polymer families:

PET (PET bottle flakes)
HDPE / PP film (including high-contamination agricultural film)
Woven bags and plastic bags
Plastic drums and industrial rejects
Mixed Scrap Plastic streams and general waste plastic
Light mention of medical waste plastics (single-use plastic items) as one of many plastic scrap types, handled only where appropriate

Price and cost drivers — what manufacturers and companies will evaluate

When a manufacturer quotes price, these variables drive CAPEX and OPEX:

Capacity (t/day or kg/hr): throughput has the biggest effect on equipment size and civil works.
Feedstock composition and contamination: mixed or heavily soiled film (agricultural film, HDPE PP film) requires more washing stages and water treatment, increasing cost.
Target product quality (pellets vs washed flakes): higher purity requires more processing and filtration.
Automation level: optical sorters and PLC automation raise initial price but reduce labor costs.
Turnkey scope: full turnkey project bids include engineering, installation, commissioning and training—higher upfront price, lower project risk.
Material grade and supplier brand: stainless steel tanks, premium motors and reputable electronic components increase durability and spare parts access.
Local site conditions: power supply, available water, and floor loading influence total project cost at the factory.

Turnkey project scope — what a complete supplier package usually includes

A complete turnkey delivery from a manufacturer or factory typically covers:

Site survey and process engineering drawings
Equipment manufacture and factory acceptance testing
Logistics, customs support and delivery to the plant site
On-site installation, mechanical and electrical commissioning
Operator training, spare parts kits and documentation
Performance validation and warranty support

Business outcomes — outputs, markets and ROI considerations

The primary commercial outputs are clean pellets and washed flakes. Buyers for these outputs include injection and blow molders, film producers, compounding companies and secondary recyclers. Revenue streams can also include service fees for sorting, blends, or accepting certain scrap flows depending on local market dynamics. Clean, consistent material commands better prices and helps the business scale profitably.

How to prepare an effective inquiry to a manufacturer

To get an accurate quote from a supplier—whether a China-based manufacturer or global company—include:

Company / factory name and country of delivery
Detailed feedstock breakdown (example: 60% PET bottle flakes, 30% HDPE PP film, 10% woven bags)
Contamination level (low / medium / high) and available photos or short videos of incoming material
Required product (pellets or washed flakes) and target capacity (t/day or kg/hr)
Site power (voltage/phase), water supply and space constraints
Whether you expect a full turnkey project including installation and training

Final outlook — cleaning and recovery, together

Effective recycling balances robust cleaning and maximum recovery. Cleaning protects downstream machinery and elevates product value; intelligent recovery preserves volume and margin. Matching a plant’s system design to your specific feedstocks—PET bottle flakes, HDPE PP film, woven bags, plastic bags and other scrap plastic—is the essential first step to a profitable recycling business.

If you are evaluating suppliers or planning a new line, start with an honest feedstock audit and clear product targets. Those two inputs let any manufacturer produce a realistic price and a practical, long-lasting system.

SevenStars - Recycling Cleaning Technology：

Complete Waste Plastic Washing Recycling Production Line Project Turnkey

For Mixed Scrap Plastic/Medical/Food Container/Hazardous Waste Metal. Turning Waste Into Treasure. For Produce Particles,flakes.

PET/PVC/PP/PE/HDPE/LDPE/EVA/ELV/EPS/WPC/WEEE/PC/ABS...

Bottle, Agricultural Film, Woven Bags, Barrel, Cable, Pipe, Textile, Battery Box, Drum, Chair.Industrial waste, Domestic qarbage, Car shell, Tyre, Trays, Waste household appliances, Aluminium scrap, Plastic lump, Sengineering plastic.

Our Production Lines

Production Line (Customizable) Work Process:Belt conveyor → pre-shredder → belt conveyor → trommel with water → pre-washer → belt conveyor → crusher → high speed friction washer → pre-washer → screw loader → floating washer a → screw loader → dewatering machine → screw loader → floating washer b → screw loader → squeeze dryer machine → electrical control cabinet