**4. Applications and usage**

Polyethylene has been used extensively in food and beverage packaging because of its excellent properties and cheapness. It is the most used engineering material finding application in food packaging, construction, industrial and chemical industries, automobiles, and other allied companies. It can be used in the film, container, and tubing forms produced by extrusion, blow molding, injection, thermoforming cast, and other-oriented processes. It can be combined with other polymers to form plastics with improved performance characteristics and properties such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), low-density polyethylenes are mainly used for films production. In contrast, high-density polyethylenes are used for containers and pipings [4, 33].

Different production methods and processes are employed in the manufacture of polyethylene products. They include film-making methods, injection molding, blow molding, and extrusion methods to produce various products. HDPE can be used in packaging and film applications, consumer goods, fibers, textiles, pipes, and fittings. Applications of HDPE in packaging include jerry can, domestic and industrial containers, chemical containers, drums, crates, dustbins, detergent containers, garbage containers, housewares, iceboxes, toys, sports nets, ropes, fishing nets, different types of pipes for gas, water, sewage, drainage, sea outfalls, industrial application, cable protection, steel pipe coating, industrial and decorative fabrics, fuel tanks and sheeting for telecommunication and energy cables due to its excellent chemical resistance and good mechanical and physical properties [34].

LDPE's most popular application is in plastic bags. It is with LDPE that containers, various types of laboratory equipment are formed. Also, it finds application in dispensing bottles, tubings, wash bottles, plastic bags for computer parts and components. LDPE is used for packaging pharmaceutical and squeezes bottles, closures and caps, trash bags, liners, and films for packaging frozen and dry food items and laminations. Other applications include housewares, agricultural bags and films, hoses for water pipes, sub conductor insulators, and cable jackets due to their excellent plasticity, strength, and low water absorption properties. It is used to manufacture milk carton linings, bowls, buckets, squeezable bottles, and cling films [35].

Other applications of polyethylene, including LLPDE, are its application in general purpose films, garment packaging, agricultural films, stretch films, food boxes, and coating cables. It can be used for heat-sealed overwrapping film and container liners for bulk transport, etc.
