I work on the quality side of Hanwha's polymer business. Every product data sheet that goes out to customers crosses my desk first—roughly 200 a year. That includes specification sheets, safety data sheets, and test reports. Since Q1 2024, I've sent back about 8% of first submissions for missing or inconsistent data. So when someone searches for 'Hanwha products' or 'is EVA foam toxic?', I understand why. You're not looking for a brochure. You want to know what these materials actually do, what the risks are, and what you can trust.
This FAQ covers the questions I get asked most often, plus one or two you didn't know you should ask. Here's what we're covering:
- What does Hanwha actually make?
- Is EVA foam toxic?
- What is the ABS portal?
- Are plastic bags recyclable?
- How do I know if a Hanwha product is right for my application?
- Why should a buyer care about resin consistency?
What does Hanwha actually make?
Hanwha Solutions' Chemical Division—or rather, the division most B2B buyers deal with—makes ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) resin, PTFE, silicone, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, nylon, ABS, TPE, PVC, and a range of rubber and engineering plastics. If you manufacture automotive parts, medical devices, films, packaging, or consumer goods, there's a good chance one of these materials is in your supply chain.
The key word is 'portfolio'. In my opinion, that breadth matters more than any single product. It means you can standardize on one supplier for multiple materials, which simplifies audits, documentation, and testing. That's a real advantage, not just a marketing line. Hanwha also operates multiple production sites globally. That matters if you're managing supply risk: if one plant has an outage, you don't want your whole contract tied to that single site.
Is EVA foam toxic?
Let me answer the question behind the question: no, EVA resin itself is not classified as toxic in its raw polymer form. According to the safety data sheet for Hanwha EVA grades, the neat resin is not classified as dangerous under GHS. But 'EVA foam' is not the same as pure EVA resin. Foam formulation can include crosslinking agents, foaming agents, and other additives. That's where you need to read the technical data.
The 'EVA foam is toxic' idea comes from an era when some foam products used questionable plasticizers and flame retardants. That era isn't now. What was best practice in 2020 may not apply in 2025. Still, if you're sourcing foam for a product that touches skin or food, ask for the SDS and migration test data. Any supplier that hesitates is a red flag.
What is the ABS portal?
If you've seen 'ABS portal' and assumed it's about building materials, I get it. In Hanwha's case, the ABS portal is the customer platform for ABS resin documentation. That's where you access technical data sheets, safety data sheets, and compliance documents for ABS grades. Depending on the grade, you may also find REACH and RoHS declarations, injection molding guidelines, and processing notes.
It matters because ABS buyers need current documents for product registration, export control, and quality audits. As of February 2025, access is for registered business customers. If your company buys ABS from Hanwha, ask your sales contact for portal access. If you're evaluating us, the same documents are usually available on request.
Take it from someone who reviews these documents for a living: a supplier that makes data easy to find is a supplier that doesn't have anything to hide.
Are plastic bags recyclable?
Short answer: it depends. The plastic bags you see at grocery stores are usually made from polyethylene film—a material Hanwha produces. That film is recyclable, but not through most curbside bins. According to EPA guidance (epa.gov), plastic bags and film should go to store drop-off locations, not your home recycling cart, because they jam sorting equipment. Check your local recycling authority for current rules.
Don't hold me to this, but I believe the store drop-off system only works if the bags are clean and dry. A bag with food residue can contaminate the whole batch. So the real answer is: yes, but only if you follow the local rules. And not all plastic bags are the same: some are labeled 'compostable', and those belong in a different stream entirely.
Actually, I'd have to check the latest statistics to give you a number, but the bigger point is that recyclability depends on the resin, the additive package, and the collection system. Asking 'are plastic bags recyclable?' is like asking 'is paper recyclable?'—sometimes yes, sometimes not.
How do I know if a Hanwha product is right for my application?
Here's the honest answer: you don't know until you test. I've been in your seat. The upside of switching to a new polymer source is better supply security and broader material options. The risk is that a new grade behaves differently in your mold, extruder, or curing process. I kept asking myself: is the gain worth potentially shutting down a production line? Usually no. So we run trials first.
In a Q1 2024 quality audit, we reviewed a new polyethylene resin lot and found its melt flow index skirting the lower edge of the spec. It probably would have worked. But 'probably' isn't a spec. We held the lot and requalified it. That cost time, but it saved our customer an expensive recall.
What I'd recommend: get the Hanwha technical data sheet, compare it to your current material's processing window, then run a small pilot. A reliable supplier will help with that step. Hanwha's technical support team exists for this reason.
Why should a buyer care about resin consistency?
Because consistency is quality. Price matters, but if a resin varies from lot to lot, your process tunes drift, scrap rates climb, and you don't always know why.
One of my biggest regrets: I once accepted a vendor's verbal promise that a lot was 'the same as last time.' It wasn't. The defect ruined 8,000 units in storage. We rejected the batch and reworked it at their cost.
Now every contract we sign includes lot-to-lot consistency data and a verification protocol. The fundamentals haven't changed—you need a material that meets specs every time—but the execution has transformed. Digital portals, automated certificates of analysis, and traceability systems mean you can verify consistency before the material hits your dock. That's the industry evolution I'd rather see.
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