Page 30 - Plastics News December 2017

FEATURES
FEATURES

waste to the system. Further, containers that held
hazardous materials can cause additional harm to the
environment if consumers don’t dispose of them properly,
such as through a hazardous materials collection site.

Consumers can recycle most plastic containers and lately
recycled Plastics gets turned into new plastic containers,
building materials and even paint.
Benefits

The following are some of the benefits of using plastics
for storing and packaging food.
Extra Storage

Plastic containers allow you to buy food in bulk, which
allows you to save money and get access to discounts and
other price reductions that come along with buying in bulk. Like plastic, glass is also reusable and recyclable so it
Absorption of Flavors can have a life outside of the landfill. Glass containers
can be washed (that requires a huge amount of water)
When plastic is used to store perishable items, it is able sterilized and put to use again or recycled to make more
to absorb the smells and tastes of them, which means that glass bottles. And unlike plastic, it isn’t a petroleum-based
foods with strong flavors, such as curry or tomato soup product, which some consumers prefer to avoid.
can be stored without its odor spreading throughout the
whole fridge. Disadvantages of Glass Packaging
Advertising Your Brand While glass is used in supermarkets and stores to package
food stuff such as, oils, spices and so on, when it comes to
Plastic packaging materials are the most common materials packaging perishables for the long-haul, it does have its
that are used for branding strategies mainly because they drawbacks. The following are some of the disadvantages
are easier to print on. Since the printing on plastics can of using glass for packaging.
be done easily, it diminishes the cost and offers a packing
solution that enables you to promote your brand as well. Weight
Plastics are Recyclable First of all, glass is heavier than plastic. This means that
more trips are required when transporting packaged
Over forty percent of the plastic made is recycled, as goods. This, also in turn, means a greater environmental
compared to only twenty percent of glass containers. impact. Not only is glass heavier, it is also heavy for
Recycling of glass has peaked since the mid nineties, and the end consumer who needs to carry what they have
the percentage of glass being recycled each year has purchased from point A (the superstore) to point B (their
declined, while the recycling of plastic is growing. home).
Glass: Sleek, Classic Fragile
Glass still holds its own in this debate. First, glass works Fragile takes on a whole new meaning when using glass
best for some products or has historically been the containers for storing food items. As we have all learnt
container consumers prefer. from an early age, glass has a tendency of smashing easily,
Take wine, for example. Most people would not buy wine which means that if a glass bottle or canister is knocked
in a plastic bottle. It’s not what they would expect and accidently on the floor it will break easily, leaving a mess
would seem a little strange. Additionally, some plastics behind. Apart from that, glass is also more slippery to the
can impart chemicals or flavours to certain foods and touch as compared to plastic. This means that it is more
liquids. Winemakers make their reputation on flavor and likely to be dropped than a plastic container or other
would not want to compromise the flavor, even if it meant packaging material.
reducing breakage during shipping.

Plastics News December 2017 30