What Type of Plastic are 5-gallon buckets Made From？

In modern industrial packaging and commercial circulation, 5-gallon plastic buckets (about 18.9-20 liters) have become one of the most common standard volume containers. Whether in the fields of chemical raw materials, pesticides, coatings, edible oils, catering liquid storage, or bottled drinking water, household cleaning, etc., 5-gallon pails are widely used in multiple scenarios such as industry, agriculture, commerce and civil use with their moderate capacity, convenient handling and reasonable cost, playing the role of basic units in logistics, storage and distribution systems. The plastic material of the pail not only affects its structural strength, corrosion resistance, transparency, temperature adaptability and food safety, but also directly determines its service life, application industry, manufacturing cost and even compliance (such as UN certification or food grade certification).

This article will systematically analyze the mainstream 5-gallon plastic bucket material types on the market to help you make more professional and wise decisions in the selection and procurement process.

Different Types of Plastic Buckets

1 High-Density Polyethylene Bucket (HDPE Bucket)

• Chemical resistance: It can withstand a wide range of acids, alkalis, and solvents (especially at room temperature), and is the first choice for chemical storage and transportation.
  
• High impact strength: It has good toughness, is resistant to drops and impacts, and is not easy to break.
  
• Good wear resistance: The surface is relatively hard and not easy to scratch.
  
• Low cost: The cost of raw materials and production and processing is relatively low, and it is economical.
  
• Good processability: It is easy to injection mold.
  
• Opacity: It is usually opaque, and masterbatches can be added to make various colors (common blue, white, black, red, etc.).

2. Polypropylene Bucket (PP Bucket)

• Excellent heat resistance: One of the most heat-resistant common plastics (melting point about
  165°C, long-term use temperature can reach 100-120°C), can withstand boiling water sterilization.
  
• Good chemical resistance: Acid, alkali and various solvents (better than PC, close to or slightly inferior to HDPE).
  
• Higher rigidity: High hardness and good deformation resistance.
  
• Good processability: Easy to injection mold.
  
• Opacity: Usually opaque, can be made into various colors (common blue, white, black, red, etc.) by adding masterbatch.
  
• Food grade options: Widely used in food contact applications.
  
• Moderate cost: The price is usually between HDPE and PC.
  

3. Polyethylene Terephthalate Bucket (PET Bucket)

• Features: high transparency, good gas barrier properties (anti-CO2 escape), high strength, light weight, low cost.
  
• Usage temperature: not resistant to high temperatures (low heat deformation temperature, about 65-85°C), cannot be sterilized at high temperatures, easily deforms and strength decreases after repeated use.
  
• Poor chemical properties: prone to cracking under long-term pressure or contact with certain chemicals.
  
• Practical application: PET bucket is often used for beverage bottles, and occasionally for buckets or water containers.

4. Polycarbonate Bucket (PC Bucket)

• Excellent transparency and glossiness: The light transmittance can reach 88%-89%, and the appearance is similar to glass, clear and transparent.
  
• Extremely high impact strength: It is one of the toughest materials among engineering plastics, and its impact resistance far exceeds that of HDPE and PP.
  
• Excellent heat resistance: It has a high heat deformation temperature (about 130-145°C) and can withstand high-temperature cleaning and disinfection (such as hot water and steam).
  
• High rigidity and high hardness: The pail is not easy to deform and has good dimensional stability.
  
• Food grade and safety certification: Special grades (such as Makrolon WB1239, LEXAN PK2870) strictly comply with drinking water contact standards such as FDA, EU 10/2011, and NSF. Attention should be paid to the issue of bisphenol A (BPA), and the mainstream market is food-grade PC without BPA or in compliance with migration limits.
  
• Long life and reusability: It is durable and can be repeatedly filled and cleaned dozens of times (such as more than 50 times) in design.
  
• Main application: 5-gallon bucket of drinking water. It is the absolute mainstream and preferred material in this field.
  
• Disadvantages: high cost, easily age under ultraviolet radiation, not suitable for long-term outdoor use.

5. Polyvinyl Chloride Bucket (PVC Bucket)

• Features: fire retardant, acid and alkali resistant.
  
• Application scenarios: some industrial liquid storage buckets, construction chemical buckets.
  
• Excellent chemical properties: strong chemical stability and low cost.
  
• Disadvantages: prominent environmental issues, poor food safety, and not recommended for contact with drinking water.

6. Linear Low-Density Polyethylene Bucket (LLDPE Bucket )

• Features: strong flexibility, good tear resistance, rotational molding, suitable for special-shaped design, and impact resistance.
  
• Application scenarios: flexible open pails, turnover pails, portable liquid storage pails.
  
• Disadvantages: slightly lower strength than HDPE, not suitable for high-precision stacking needs.

7. Metal Bucket (carbon steel bucket, galvanized iron bucket, stainless steel bucket)

• Features: extremely high strength, high temperature resistance, strong airtightness.
  
• Application scenarios: solvents, oils, coatings, corrosive liquids, dangerous goods for export, etc.
  
• Most can be recycled.
  
• Disadvantages: heavy weight, high transportation cost; easy to rust (unless stainless steel or inner coating is selected); high cost, not suitable for one-time use.

8. Comparison

Application Scenarios

1 Bottled drinking water industry:
Absolutely dominant: PC (transparency, strength, heat resistance, safety, lifespan).
Steel buckets: Not applicable (too heavy, too expensive, non-transparent).

2 Industrial chemicals:
Dominant: HDPE (chemical resistance, toughness, cost).
Special needs: PC for high transparency; PP for high temperature resistance; stainless steel buckets for high-end/strong corrosion/strict barrier/high pressure bearing; galvanized steel buckets for bulk/strength (such as grease).

3 Food industry:
Main: HDPE and PP (HDPE is economical, PP is heat-resistant).
Special needs: Stainless steel buckets (such as high-end oils and spices) are required for extreme hygiene, high-temperature disinfection, and a strict barrier of high-value raw materials.

4 Construction, coatings, adhesives:
Widely: HDPE (economical and durable).
High-end/industrial-grade coatings/sealants: Galvanized steel barrels or stainless steel barrels are commonly used (strength, barrier, and solvent penetration resistance).

5 General storage/household use:
Dominant: HDPE (low cost, easy to obtain).
Special: If extremely high durability or specific functions are required, galvanized steel drums may be selected (but less common).

6 Pharmaceutical/high-purity chemicals:
High-specification HDPE/PP/PC.
Commonly used: stainless steel drums (cleanliness, low dissolution, corrosion resistance).

Conclusion

In the purchase process of 5-gallon plastic buckets, material selection is far more important than price. A correct material selection can often avoid several instances of after-sales loss and operating costs. Different industries have different requirements for bucket performance. Understanding and mastering the characteristics of various materials is the core prerequisite for ensuring product stability, compliance and cost control.

If you have more customized requirements for bucket appearance, brand recognition, functional accessories (such as handles, sealing caps, label printing, etc.), it is recommended to choose Enlightening Plast, a professional plastic bucket manufacturer with integrated mold development, personalized matching and export experience, to ensure that product quality, delivery time and subsequent services are in line with your operating rhythm.