Page 42 - Plastics News July 2019

Plastics Helps Reduce Waste

Why are Plastics used? remarkably over the last 60 years. However, current levels
of their usage and disposal generate several environmental
Plastics are lightweight, durable and versatile in nature,
by replacing existing Packaging with plastic packaging problems.
the manufacturers can minimise the material use and Plastics are now the major target worldwide especially
waste generation as well. Without plastics, the total under the guise of “Single Use Plastics” (SUP). What is
volume of waste would increase by 158%. Plastics are “Single Use Plastics”? If we go by the words, it means “One
replacing other materials, even in durable goods. The time use and dispose”. Maybe in the Western Economies,
automotive industry chooses plastic for its durability, these words have some meaning as people are always on
corrosion resistance, ease of colouring and finishing, the move and they eat the content and dispose of the
resiliency, energy efficiency and lightweight nature. package. But in developing or backward economies still
Lightweight for instance, translates into lowered handling any package may it be Milk Pouch or for that sake bags with
and transportation costs all down the line. Where a plastic Food or Containers with food are used more than once.
film (e.g. stretch wrapping) can replace a heavy shipping • Do we still define them as single use?
crate or cartons, the weight savings can be an order
of magnitude or more. • hese words SUP do not ever talk about reuse, recycling
or sustenance.
Major appliance manufacturers used plastics because
of their ease of fabrication and excellent thermal A major portion of plastic produced each year is used to
insulation characteristics that significantly reduce energy make disposable items of packaging or other short-lived
consumption. In Automobile, Appliances & building products that are discarded within a year of manufacture
construction industries plastics reduce energy consumption after use. These observations alone indicate that our
by providing a substantial saving in production costs. current use of plastics is not sustainable. In addition,
because of the durability of the polymers involved,
The fact remains that PLASTICS are helping to make it substantial quantities of discarded end-of-life plastics are
possible. When it comes to reducing waste, it is hard accumulating as debris In Landfills and in natural habitats
to beat a PLASTIC product. Along with weight and size worldwide.
reduction, plastics can contribute to waste reduction in
other ways like: - What are the Challenges in Plastic Waste Recycling?
1. Plastics have an increased life span. Recycling, Reclaiming, Reuse and Restoring Plastics back
to another product is the main sustainable idea whereas
2. Plastics are lighter than many alternative materials Plastics has no End of Life.
making them cheaper to produce, transport and store.
Cross–resin Contamination: Another challenge that
3. Plastics generally exhibit superior resistance to needs to be addressed in plastic waste recycling is the
breakage and denting.
contamination that results when plastic waste made with
4. Plastics have resistance to corrosion enhancing the different resins are mixed together.
product or appliance life span.
Lamination and Co-extrusion: Cross-resin contamination
5. Plastics are hygienic because it is non-corrosive, easy can also occur when processors recycle multilayer plastic
to clean, Fungus proof and anti-static. wastes. These plastic wastes typically are made in one of
two manufacturing process or lamination or co-extrusion.
How are Plastics Targeted?
These processes begin with rolls of different plastic resins,
Plastics are inexpensive, lightweight and durable which are heated and pressed together or glued together.
materials, which can readily be molded into a variety of The combination of the pressure, heat and sometimes
products that find use in a wide range of applications. an adhesive layer causes the plastic waste to bond
Consequently, the production of plastics has increased together as one.

Plastics News July 2019 42