Part.5 - Plastics sustainability
02.
When looking for a material with a specific set of properties, plastics often turn out to be the most sustainable option.
For example, 40% of all plastic materials in Europe are used in food packaging. This is because these materials are light, shock resistant, hermetic and inert. While being both easier and more energy efficient to transport than other materials (glass, terracotta, metals, etc.) they preserve food from external contaminants and prevent its early decay. Over the past 50 years, plastics have enabled major breakthroughs in terms of consumer safety, prevention of food waste and overall resource efficiency of the food chain (see how HERE).
Plastics also revolutionized building and transportation materials, replacing wood, metals and stone with safe, robust, yet much lighter, heat retaining and flexible (less breakable) materials, thus drastically decreasing overall energy expenditures and green gas emissions during their use phase.
All in all, replacing all plastics – when feasible – by alternative materials, would mean nearly 3,7 times more materials, which would result in 46% more energy expenditures and a 50% increase in greenhouse gas emissions *.
* See Denkstatt study 2009
01. Plastics often are the most sustainable option
02.
When looking for a material with a specific set of properties, plastics often turn out to be the most sustainable option.
For example, 40% of all plastic materials in Europe are used in food packaging. This is because these materials are light, shock resistant, hermetic and inert. While being both easier and more energy efficient to transport than other materials (glass, terracotta, metals, etc.) they preserve food from external contaminants and prevent its early decay. Over the past 50 years, plastics have enabled major breakthroughs in terms of consumer safety, prevention of food waste and overall resource efficiency of the food chain (see how HERE).
Plastics also revolutionized building and transportation materials, replacing wood, metals and stone with safe, robust, yet much lighter, heat retaining and flexible (less breakable) materials, thus drastically decreasing overall energy expenditures and green gas emissions during their use phase.
All in all, replacing all plastics – when feasible – by alternative materials, would mean nearly 3,7 times more materials, which would result in 46% more energy expenditures and a 50% increase in greenhouse gas emissions *.
* See Denkstatt study 2009
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