The war on plastics swept in like a storm. It is like the world went to sleep one night and left plastics as harmless products only to wake up and find they were destroying the whole place. Suffice to say there has been a lot of misinformation about the whole plastics agenda.
The bottom line remains that it is not plastics that are bad; it is we humans who use plastics badly. If used properly – with re-use and proper disposal – humans can co-exist in a safe and clean environment.
To this end, plastic remains the most popular packaging product for several reasons.
It is clean
Generally, plastic is a hygienic packaging material both in itself and in preventing entrance of dirt from outside. It is non-reactive under ordinary conditions, meaning the packaged product will remain in the same state from the day of packaging until it is needed for use.
The hygienic quality of plastic makes it ideal for products like pharmaceuticals and foods.
It is non-porous
A major concern that has to be factored when packaging products for transportation is the absorption of moisture. Plastic comes is a perfect solution since it does not allow passage of any moisture once the package is sealed.
This quality makes it superior to packaging products like paper in the sealing of items like electronics which eliminates the risk of short-circuiting and rusting.
It is tough
Depending on the amount of stress a package is likely to be exposed to, there are several degrees of toughness available for packaging. Some plastics are more pliable, while others are stronger and can hold heavier loads or withstand harsher external forces.
It is cheap
Production of plastic is cheap regardless of the quality or volume of production. As an overhead cost, manufacturers find that using plastic to package their products is marginal.
The importance of plastic in packaging and production of everyday products cannot be overstated. The sooner we all learn to co-exist with plastic, the easier our lives will get.