Brief summary
Although the media keeps demonizing it as “absolutely evil,” plastic has, since its creation, played a fundamental role in the development of societies. Nowadays, it is fashionable to say that “plastic pollutes.” It certainly pollutes if we throw plastic in the sea or anywhere in nature. This, however, is not plastic’s fault. It is the fault of whoever throws it away without a thought for the consequences. The truth is that plastic has become so widespread around the world because it is a cheap, practical material and can adapt to countless applications. Today, therefore, I would like to share my thoughts with you on 3 cases that support my thesis.
Is plastic evil? Let’s start with food waste
It has been estimated that, without plastic containers, approximately 50% of the food on the shelves would go bad before being consumed. The Unionplast association, for example, has calculated that plastic packaging keeps fruit and vegetables fresh for up to 14 days.
Next, let’s look at how evil plastic is essential for health and safety
What are blood transfusion bags, requiring a supremely sterile and hypoallergenic material, made of? And what are the countless other products used in medicine made of? Obviously, evil plastic. And what are the helmets that protect workers made of? Also plastic. What about airbags, which save thousands of lives on the roads each year? Care to guess? Obviously, they are made of plastic.
Lastly, let’s touch on the subject of fuel savings
We are not aware of it, but the lightness and compactness of plastic contributes to the reduction in fuel consumption and in the number of vehicles in circulation. Let’s say that you need to transport 100 grams of a product, any product. Well, to contain these 100 grams of product you would need:
- a glass container that, in turn, weighs 100g
- or a cardboard container that weighs 25g
- or a metal container that weighs 25g
- while all you need is a plastic container that weighs 3g
The Plastic Rubber Federation has published a study according to which, thanks to plastic and in Europe alone, each year:
- we save 100 million barrels of oil
- and we prevent the emission of 50 million tons of CO2
So, the problem does not lie with “absolutely evil” plastic per se, but with it possibly being managed improperly. We all have a duty to contribute to improving this management along the entire plastic supply chain. The challenge begins with continuous investment in research and development; Bausano has always paid special attention to environmental sustainability. Would you like to learn more about our environmental sustainability programs and understand how our plastic extruders can benefit both your finances and image?
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