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IN THE NEWS
Plastics in Consumer Goods: Balancing
Functionality and Environmental
Responsibility
terials and they include the following. It is commonly
used for food packaging, bottles, bags, and also for
wrapping material and many other things.
b. Household Items: Most of household goods
that we use in the homes are made of plastic; for ex-
ample, containers, utensils, furniture and even ap-
pliances. They are durable, and their manufacturing
is relatively simple; thus, they are commonly used.
c. Electronics: Electronics like smart phones, com-
puters, refrigerators, television and others cannot
be manufactured without plastics. It offers insula-
tion, durability as well as versatility in the patterns
of construction.
d. Clothing and Accessories: Some of the compo-
nents used as fabrics in the fashion industry include
polyester, nylon, and acrylic that are types of plas-
tics.
e. Automobiles: Automotive industry utilizes plas-
Introduction: tics in car making like dashboard, bumpers and
seats because they are cheap and light in nature.
Today plastics are considered as a necessity in our
everyday life. From the toothbrush we use in the B. The Benefits of Plastics
morning to the packs our favorite snacks come in,
plastics are all around. They are used usually be- Consumer-plastics have great utility or application
cause they are fairly generalized, hard wearing and in various consumer goods in society today. Here
reasonably priced. But there is immense concern on are some of the key benefits:
the environment due to the use of plastics in the 1. Durability: Plastics on the other hand are very
society today. In this article, the author focuses on hardy or rather resistant and can take a lot of beat-
the applicability of plastics in consumption goods, ing. Because of this, such materials are ideal for
duty of functions, and the necessity of the need for products that require to have a long lifespan within
environmentally sensitivity. the required environment.
A. The Ubiquity of Plastics in Consumer Goods 2. Lightweight: The material is lightweight despite
Essentials of plastics are traced in almost all com- its high strength, this means less fuel is used to
modities that are in use by consumers. Here are transport them and energy used in transit also ex-
some common examples: perience a reduction.
a. Packaging: There are several aspects within pack- 3. Versatility: In fact it can be made in different
aging that plastics are preferred among other ma- sizes and shapes that makes it easier to be used in
different areas of application.
July 2024 PLASTICS NEWS 81
