When you utilize plastic packaging for your pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, or lifestyle product, it’s crucial to know how to store the bottles before filling them. Proper storage will help protect you, your product, and your customers.
Why Proper Storage is Important
HDPE bottles require proper storage and care. Correct storage procedures ensure that the bottles will perform correctly with the product inside. Proper storage helps:
- Maximize the integrity and lifespan of HDPE bottles
- Protect the product in the bottle
- Reduce risk for you, your business, and your customers
- Maintain customer loyalty in your brand
- Protect your business’ profitability and bottom line
Maintain Proper Storage Conditions
Bottle storage conditions such as time, temperature, and humidity can have a significant impact on HDPE plastic bottles. The exposure and age of a sample can also affect the shrinkage, impact properties, and stress crack resistance of the container.
Here are some important storage considerations for your HDPE bottles:
Storage Time
The storage time of unfilled HDPE bottles should be minimal. Maintain a strict first-in-first-out inventory. Many end-users will re-approve bottles after two or three years of storage.
Storage Temperature
Elevated storage temperatures cause HDPE containers to shrink, and harsh conditions can cause severe distortion. The degree of distortion and shrinkage depends on the bottle design and storage conditions. Higher storage temperatures also accelerate the aging process of the container.
Provide moderate storage temperatures to ensure consistent bottle dimensions and properties. It is routinely reported that HDPE bottles can withstand temperatures of 110°F for brief periods.
Humid Storage Conditions
Although humidity itself will not degrade the HDPE container, a humid environment can have a direct impact on secondary packaging such as cardboard cartons. Use stretch wrap and/or control warehouse conditions to alleviate secondary packaging problems.
Surface Contamination
Keep HDPE bottles as clean as possible. It is best to leave them in original sealed cartons. Your storage area should be clean, dry, and dust, odor, insect, and rodent-free.
The information and recommendations in this article are believed to be correct. However, no guarantee or warranty of any kind, express or implied, is made as to such information contained herein, including any warranty of fitness or merchantability, and Drug Plastics assumes no responsibilities for the results of use of the information described herein.
If you have any questions about storing HDPE bottles, please call 610-367-5000 to speak with someone immediately.
