--- title: Dispelling 3 Common Misconceptions About Purging Compounds description: Discover three common misconceptions about commercial purging compounds (CPCs), the truth behind each and the benefits of using a CPC. image: https://www.asaclean.com/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/This%20image%20depicts%20plastic%20forks-1.jpeg --- [ Order Online ](https://asaclean.my.site.com/b2bstore) [ Free Sample ](https://offers.asaclean.com/free-sample) ## [ Asaclean Blog ](https://www.asaclean.com/blog) Browse by Topic " aerospace asaclean asaclean news Asaclean® benefits asahi kasei automotive Best Practices black specks blisters blow molding blown-film extrusion buyers caps and closures carbon contamination cast-film extrusion Chemical Purging Compounds clear applications Color Changeovers Company News compounding consumer products contamination Cost savings custom molders Customer Success Story decreasing scrap defects electronics Energy Efficiency EX Grade extruder cleaning Extrusion fillament glass filled Glitter Grade Selection HDPE High and Low Temp Changeovers hold a bubble Hot Runners Injection Molding Injection Molding Tips LDPE Lightweight automotive components LLDPE low residue maintenance Material Changeovers Mechanical Purging Compounds medical Melt Flow Index NPE 24 nylons on the fly packaging PCR PEEK Polypropylene Post Consumer Resins preventative preventative purging processing tips profile extrusion Purge Program purge programs Purge Training Purge Trial purging purging compounds purging concentrates purging procedures Purging Tips quality recycled resins residue issues scrap reduction Screw Pulls sheet extrusion shutdown and sealing start-up super engineering resins Sustainability Tech Day technical support training trials Troubleshooting Twin Screw twin screw extrusion two step purging U Grade ULTEM venting Viscosity webinars wire extrusion - 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Purging compounds provide many benefits to your plastics processing equipment, including: - Help you quickly transition from one color to the next - Reduce scrap rates by eliminating color and carbon contamination - Reduce machine downtime, minimizing costly production delays However, many misconceptions exist about commercial purging compounds (CPCs), their benefits and the costs involved with using a CPCs. Here are three common misconceptions about purging compounds and the truth behind each one:   ### 1. Purging Compounds Are Not Necessary A common misconception is that regrind, natural resin or the next color are sufficient for cleaning plastic processing machines, but this is simply not true. These materials are [not designed to clean injection molding machines](https://asaclean.com/news/production-resins-are-not-purging-compounds/), extruders or hot runners and are not a substitute for commercial purging compounds. Purging your machines using these materials is time-consuming, wasteful and ineffective at removing color and carbon contamination. When you use regrind or virgin resins to purge your machines, the material creates another layer over existing resins, color deposits or carbonized material within the barrel and on the screw. In time, these layers become additional sources of contamination, making purging even more difficult. Once your machines return to production, the carbonized materials eventually break free and contaminate other products. ### 2. Purging Compounds Are Expensive Although a cost is involved with purchasing purging compounds, it’s important to remember that regrind and production resin are not free. When calculating purging costs, factors that you must also consider include are: - Machine downtime cost - How much purging compound is required - The amount of flush material used (next resin/color) - The cost of your scrap resin, material and labor waste, and rejects run upon startup Also, remember that purging compounds are more effective than resin and regrind, and the total cost of purging is less when using a CPC. ### 3. Price Per Pound Is All That Matters When selecting a purging compound for your company, consider more than just price per pound. Even though the purging compound supplier will recommend a ballpark amount of purging compound required per purge, the actual amount required per job varies based on the application and machine. Price per pound is not an apples-to-apples comparison, and it should not be the sole factor to consider when choosing a purging compound. A better solution is to test samples from multiple companies, see which one works best and then look at the total cost to purge before making a final decision. Misconceptions about purging compounds are plaguing the plastics processing industry and prevent many companies from using a CPC until it’s too late. Until recently, using a processing resin or regrind was the most popular method for purging. Although these materials are often cheaper on a pound-for-pound basis, resin and regrind do not offer the same benefits as a commercial purging compound. CPCs help you remain competitive by reducing downtime, scrap rates and contamination in your machines, all of which allow you to maximize your bottom line. **Learn more about the importance of using a purging compound by downloading this free industry guide** **** ** [![](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/468726/interactive-161626752518.png) ](https://www.asaclean.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLIIn%2B2U2ZxODCsqNjB13%2Btr%2FwNDMA08PW2W4TH%2FN7LPLDo0%2Bxo5VOw5TQzywdKub%2F9D6z2Xop3VpUvo2hqAIDsYBO%2BWMATGuQCHBbFIPx3qYK5M2Lu7t8ttt5I75TdiMHIZce%2B4UhNFa6qgM4TQddKaT63ZjCJAIIpLisZn7uJbYPwpA2c31HJvUvQTqmcSINFNLtf2h9PWy04cuxbnvSxNn7Xn78u52%2B4mHOUB60NuxIbm&webInteractiveContentId=161626752518&portalId=468726) ** ** ** ![Tom Hanvey](https://www.asaclean.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Tom%20Headshot.jpg?width=150&name=Tom%20Headshot.jpg) #### [ Tom Hanvey ](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/author/tom-hanvey) Tom Hanvey is the Associate Director of Marketing & Sustainability at Asahi Kasei Plastics North America. Before joining APNA, he worked as the Senior Marketing Manager for Asaclean Purging Compounds. He's worked in the plastics industry for over 10 years and focuses on recyclable resins and on the inbound marketing side, providing easy-to-digest content to processors looking for an edge on their competition. - [Share On LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashanvey/) ## Related Posts [![](https://www.asaclean.com/hs-fs/hubfs/3_Easy_Ways_To_Stop_Your_Purging_Compound_From_Leaving_Residue.jpg?width=450&height=250&name=3_Easy_Ways_To_Stop_Your_Purging_Compound_From_Leaving_Residue.jpg) 3 Mistakes Companies Make When Using A Purging Compound Injection... / 4 min read / September 13, 2016 ](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/blog-36-3-mistakes-companies-make-when-using-a-purging-compound) [![A​void These 3 Common Mistakes When Using A Purging Compound](https://www.asaclean.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/This%20image%20depicts%20a%20%20eraser%20erasing%20the%20word%20mistake.jpeg?width=450&height=250&name=This%20image%20depicts%20a%20%20eraser%20erasing%20the%20word%20mistake.jpeg) A​void These 3 Common Mistakes When Using A Purging Compound Injection... / 3 min read / August 16, 2016 ](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/avoid-these-common-mistakes-when-using-a-purging-compound) ## Comments Get Started ## Ready to start improving your efficiency and increasing your profitability? - [Request a Consultation](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/blog-35-dispelling-3-common-misconceptions-about-purging-compounds#) - [Contact Sales](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/blog-35-dispelling-3-common-misconceptions-about-purging-compounds#) ![](https://www.asaclean.com/hubfs/assets/images/icons/icon-layers.svg) #### Free Sample Request a free sample of Asaclean® Purging Compounds for your plant and start saving today. [Request your free sample](https://offers.asaclean.com/en/free-sample?hsLang=en) ![](https://www.asaclean.com/hubfs/assets/images/icons/icon-calculator.svg) #### Cost Savings Calculator Use our free calculator to see how much you could be saving with Asaclean® Purging Compounds. [See your savings](https://www.asaclean.com/cost-savings-calculator) [ Back to Top ](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/blog-35-dispelling-3-common-misconceptions-about-purging-compounds#top) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Tom Hanvey", "url" : "https://www.asaclean.com/blog/author/tom-hanvey" }, "dateModified" : "2025-07-08T17:51:53.517Z", "datePublished" : "2016-08-30T13:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "Dispelling 3 Common Misconceptions About Purging Compounds", "image" : [ "https://www.asaclean.com/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/This%20image%20depicts%20plastic%20forks-1.jpeg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.asaclean.com/blog/blog-35-dispelling-3-common-misconceptions-about-purging-compounds", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.asaclean.com/hubfs/Asaclean%20Logo%20TM.jpg" }, "name" : "Asahi Kasei Plastics North America" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "Article", "articleBody" : "The plastics processing community has largely embraced the use of purging compounds to clean injection molding machines, extruders and hot runner systems. Purging compounds provide many benefits to your plastics processing equipment, including: Help you quickly transition from one color to the next Reduce scrap rates by eliminating color and carbon contamination Reduce machine downtime, minimizing costly production delays However, many misconceptions exist about commercial purging compounds (CPCs), their benefits and the costs involved with using a CPCs. Here are three common misconceptions about purging compounds and the truth behind each one:", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Tom Hanvey" }, "datePublished" : "August 30, 2016", "headline" : "Dispelling 3 Common Misconceptions About Purging Compounds", "image" : "https://468726.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/468726/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/This%20image%20depicts%20plastic%20forks-1.jpeg", "name" : "Dispelling 3 Common Misconceptions About Purging Compounds", "url" : "https://www.asaclean.com/blog/blog-35-dispelling-3-common-misconceptions-about-purging-compounds" } ```