Download the newest version of flash to view the movie

Frequently Asked Questions


Phoenix Recycling Inc.
 659 Marion Rd
Columbus OH 43207
Tel:614-443-4801
Fax:614-443-9790


Q: It looks like much of your material is sold out and some items' status do not seem to change, is your inventory sheet up to date and how can I become a buyer of your plastic?

 A: Our inventory sheet remains within 48 hours of being up to date. Many of the items that are out of stock may be under contract, so some of the materials may look like they are never in. Other items come in somewhat infrequently, so they may appear to be always out of stock. Some of the items that are available are replaced fast enough that we do not need to change the status of available material. The best policy is to ask. If we do not have it in stock now, we can put you on a list, so that when we do get your materials, we can contact you.

Q: Do you sell overseas, or are you only a domestic company?

 A: We are set up as both. We do not have any overseas plants or representatives, however but we have over 35 years experience as a business in shipping overseas.

Q: I am a (Purchasing agent/Broker/Buyer) for an overseas company, what are your policies for sales?

A: As far as payments are concerned, any material sold overseas, once ordered should be completely paid for after we load the container, but prior to shipping. We will provide you with our company bill of lading, third party weight tickets, and an invoice. If we are handling the freight, 30% down payment must be made before we bring the containers in. Payments can be made in cash, check, or wire transfer.

Q: Do you provide freight to every place in the world?

 A: Not everywhere, but we do for many places. We use freight forwarders like most of the rest of the exporters, but ours tend to specialize in Far East Asia mainly. You will find our prices very reasonable for freight to those areas. In the U.S., we can offer freight up to $800. After that, you are welcome to pick up any of our plastic scrap, regrind or pellets from us, and we hope that you will, but we can only extend it on an fob basis.

Q: I would like samples of your plastics and then we can establish pricing.

 A: Phoenix has been very fortunate, that this website has been so strong for us. We are grateful for that. However, small successes are not without their downfalls. Because of this, we get requests every day for samples. The truth is, that we usually run behind in samples 3-5 days usually, because we are still a privately-held business and have only a couple sales people. We cannot send samples, without first confirming price. We will supply pictures free of charge anytime you need them, (although most are already on this site). With the pictures and the descriptions, we expect that you are able to generate a reasonable price from that. We follow the same practice ourselves, when we buy. If we can come up with an agreement, we will gladly send samples for quality confirmation. We understand that many companies are capable of selling all types of plastics, and so it is tempting to ask for samples of all of them, and then in turn, you can offer them out. We ask you to refrain from that. Please start with a handful of items, so that we can focus on them, and get business started. Once we get business started, we can always progress from there. Please remember, that samples are expensive and time-consuming for us. Please be courteous when asking, and limit yourself to only what you need, and what you are fairly sure you can use. Doing this, helps us save money and keeps pricing low for everyone. Thanks to everyone in advance.

Q: What kind of terms do you offer for domestic companies?

 A: Not all domestic companies will qualify for terms. You will need a proven credit history to get credit. Depending on your credit history, Phoenix Recycling may be able to offer anywhere between 10 and 45 days credit.

Q: How do I know that if I pay up front, you will honor your word and sell us good material?

 A: We believe that actions speak louder than words. Phoenix gladly welcomes visitors into the plant, and will tour you through our operations and materials storage if you wish. This will also give you a chance to meet us, and learn about our capabilities. The truth of that matter is that buying scrap can feel like shooting in the dark for the materials that you need, especially, if there are no warranties. However, we cannot earn your repeat business if you are not satisfied. We have 4 warehouses, and have been in the same location over 20 years. No trailer or container is loaded without one of our captain loaders present. Our captains on average have more than 10 years experience and history with our company. Each of our captains are trained to burn test plastics, and are able to visually sort and manually separate materials when necessary.
Aside from that, we also recommend when starting to purchase from Phoenix, just buy one load. There is no better way to develop trust with someone, than to have a good experience from them. We would prefer that you start small and build trust with us, than to come in and buy everything that we have, and be nervous about its quality. Take your time, we are here to help you for the long run. Materials come and go, but long-term trading partners are what we look for.

Q: Why do you not allow Letters of Credit

 A: It stems from multiple reasons:

  1. It takes us too long to get our money. We need to pay our suppliers quickly.
  2. It is expensive to start with. Almost always, changes need to be made, and because L/C's are legal documents, I need to have a lawyer proof-read them, which takes more time and money.
  3. L/C's are actually relatively easy to get out of paying in the scrap business, so it is not that much different from extending normal business credit.
  4. We feel that a company that purchases from us should be doing it from a cash reserve, and not from credit. Most disputes come from cash-tight situations.

Q: What is CCIC and what is AQSIQ?

 A: Both are Chinese certifications which are required if you plan on shipping directly to any city in mainland China. Hong Kong presently does not require this certification and much of the material coming from the US to China is still routed through Hong Kong for this reason.

Q: How do I know which plastic I have?

 A: The SPI established a coding system over 20 years ago that appears on most plastic consumer goods. You are probably familiar with the recycling triangle, but here are what the numbers mean, and common goods made out of it.

  1. PET - Polyethylene Terephthlate - Polyester - Commonly used to make water and pop bottles, polyester clothing and textiles, coat stuffing, carpet, most food containers (pickle jars, ketchup bottles, peanut butter and jelly) and toy packaging
  2. HDPE - High Density Polyethylene - Polyethylene - Commonly used to make half gallon and one gallon water, orange juice and milk jugs, shampoo bottles, grocery bags, and plastic lumber.
  3. PVC - Polyvinyl Chloride - Vinyl (includes rigid and flexible) - Siding, plastic pipe, tape, shower curtains, calendaring, laminate floor tiles, windows frames.
  4. LDPE - Low Density Polyethylene - Polyethylene - bread bags, garbage bags, shrink wrap, shopping bags, plastic lumber.
  5. PP - Polypropylene - some plastic utensils, flower pots, yogurt bottles, straws, carpets
  6. PS - Polystyrene - includes EPS (expandable polystyrene, commonly 'styrafoam'), HIPS (high impact polystyrene), and GPPS (general purpose polystyrene) - foamed food and drink packaging, CD and DVD cases, some computer and monitor housings, some plastic utensils, opaque pill bottles, flower pots
  7. Other - Either multilayer combinations of the above materials, or any other polymer not previously listed.

If this doesn't answer your question, or there is no label, just call us. We will help figure it out.

Q: Who do you buy from?

 A: We are mostly a post-industrial / post-commercial recycler, but we try to help everyone we can. Occasionally, we can help organizations or individuals who generate something larger than the weekly recycle bin pick-up. We recycle all types of thermoplastics. Stop paying those landfill costs, and give us a call.

Q: Can you explain a certain shipping term that I heard?

 A: Here are some of the ones that have been asked recently, but if you heard a term somewhere that is not explained here, just email us.