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  for Metal Finishing since 1989
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Coating for Polyethylene Material

I would like to find out coating that can be coated on Polyethylene products. We are currently using PVC for the coating but we would like to change the material as PVC is consider toxic. We must be able to dip the Polyethylene material to do coating. The coating must be able to bond itself to the Polyethylene material, without able to be peel easily. Some of the Polyethylene material that we are using are nets for fish farming.

Can anyone help me on this matter?

QUEK Cher Ping
SIANG MAY PTE LTD - Singapore
2000

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2000

Hi Quek !

I don't think that you'll be successful in finding anything that will truly bond to Polyethylene.

But I would like to disagree 100% with your assertion that PVC is toxic. Toxic to whom or to what? Be precise. For example, PVC pipe is far less 'toxic' than copper, especially in the rearing of fish eggs. Rigid PVC is approved for drinking water pipe lines.

But you infer that you are in the 'fish business'. Ah, many, many years ago in Newfoundland, some bright person came up with the idea of making the lobster traps from steel and PVC coating them. The lobsters didn't like them. Turns out that only after quite some sea immersion time did these pots acquire some sea 'life' attaching to them and then, only then, apparently, would the lobsters enter them.

I suggest you check the plasticizers used in the PVC coating material you happen to use. Some are or were definitely, I believe, slightly toxic.

You cannot make a bland statement that PVC is toxic. It is not so!

Regards,

Freeman Newton [deceased]
(It is our sad duty to advise that Freeman passed away
April 21, 2012. R.I.P. old friend).