Why Plastics are Important
Have you ever thought about the importance of plastics? Plastics are everywhere. They are in products that we use every day. Plastics are used in packaging, in clothing, in safety equipment, in cellphones, in medical equipment and in so much more.
Plastics help to keep us safe. Food packaged in plastic remains fresher for longer, remaining safe to eat.
Plastics help us do more with less. Then enable us to live better and contribute to sustainability in a variety of ways.
You might be wondering how plastic can contribute to sustainability. Surely we are trying to get rid of plastics? Well, plastics protect the environment in that they reduce waste thus lowering green house gas emissions and saving energy. Plastic packaging dramatically extends the shelf life of food and beverages. Plastic packaging also allows for the shipment of more product thus reducing the overall amount of packaging material required and saving energy and time in transport.
Plastic products such as insulation and sealants make our homes more energy efficient and reduce the costs for heating and cooling.
The use of lightweight plastics in cars reduces weight and thus increases the kilometres per litre.
Plastics are extensively used in hospitals and medical procedures helping doctors save lives and protecting our loved ones. The use of plastics in the healthcare industry reduce the cost of healthcare.
Plastics form a major component of technologies that power the space program; without them we wouldn’t have bullet proof vests or have developed things like prosthetic limbs.
More and more plastic is being recycled every year. New methods of energy recovery and being discovered. Energy recovery is when non-recycled plastics are transformed into feedstock and fuels for new manufacturing. Recycling just two plastic types saves enough energy each year to power 750 000 homes (USA).
We all assume that paper products are better than plastic products and while it’s true that paper degrades faster than plastic, paper also needs a large amount of natural resources in it’s creation. The paper manufacturing process creates lots of waste and requires many trees, water and energy in it’s production. Plastic products also need energy and resources to be created however they compensate for this by being easier to recycle and having a long lifetime.
Let’s summarize the importance of plastics; plastics are:
- Durable and resilient
- Resistant to corrosion
- Lightweight
- Easily fabricated and versatile
- Functional in a protective and preservative capacity
- Cost reducing because of their thermal, electric and acoustic insulation value
- Significantly energy efficient both in their production and their uses.