Page 81 - Plastics News September 2024

IN THE NEWS
although bio plastic or compostable plastic ma-
terials have been found to have low strength or
barrier properties required in their respective
products such as a food container or lifesaving
syringe etc.
Solution: There are statements that technologi-
cal advancements in material science are open-
ing up new areas of sustainable plastics that do
not mean loss of performance. For instance,
there is a development of new biodegradable
plastics with multiple layers that possess the
same characteristics of the conventional plastics
only that they are eco-friendly.
3. Economic Viability
Changing from the normal plastic packaging to
that that is environmentally friendly is not cheap.
Introducing novelties to the composition of the
materials, changing the technological workflow,
and recycling all demand money. This is a typi-
cal economic problem more so to the small firms
that may not be in a position to afford these
changes.
4. Consumer Perception and Demand
Consumers know what they want and they want
sustainable packaging; however, there is a reali-
September 2024
September 2024
ty that consumers do not know. Some consumer
thinks that all plastic goods are bad for the envi-
ronment, some does not differentiate between
good and bad plastics as well as do not under-
stand the issue with sustainable alternatives.This
perception challenge complicates the opportu-
nity for companies to get the best packaging
material that will enhance sustainability as well
as functionality.
Solution: Knowledge and clarity are the things
that can make a difference.
To some extent, companies possess the abil-
ity to reduce this knowledge gap by presenting
accurate information about the sustainability of
their packaging decisions as well as emphasiz-
ing on the positive effects of correct recycling or
disposal of their products.
5. Regulatory Pressure
With the increase in publicity on the impacts of
environmental degradation on the earth, most
governments globally are tightening their laws
on the use of plastics in packaging. Such reg-
ulations typically entail specifications for the
amount of plastics to be reduced, for the recy-
clability of the packaging, or for the percentage
of recycled content to be incorporated. As these
regulations are meant to promote sustainability,
they also present themselves as problems in the
sense of compliance and expenses.
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