Plastic milk container

The most common material in milk packaging is high density polyethylene (HDPE), recycling code 2.

Small individual containers of milk and cream are often thermoformed or injection molded and have a peelable lid.

The shelf life of pasteurized milk in HDPE bottles and LDPE pouches has been determined to be between 10 and 21 days when stored at 4–8 °C.

A volume insert attaches to the inside of a mould, creating a circular indentation on the side of the finished bottle.

Different size inserts can be used as manufacturing circumstances change, for example mould temperature or cooling rate.

[8] Many potential factors are involved in environmental comparisons of returnable vs non-returnable systems.

Researchers have often used life cycle analysis methodologies to balance the many diverse considerations.

A key factor with glass milk bottles is the number of cycles of uses to be expected.