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Plastic is a word used to describe a material that can be either synthetic or semi-synthetic. Plastics are used in massive amounts in almost all industries. There are many experts around the world that create specialized plastic for specific industries like plastic extrusion for the medicinal industry. Primo is a good example of a company that is one of the main experts in the field of plastic extrusion.
We use plastic everywhere in today’s world. From helping us clean up to the interior of our cars to plastics in the clothes we wear. Plastic is everywhere. Even though plastic is synthetic it actually comes from organic materials just like wood, paper, and wool. Plastics are produced from cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt, and crude oil. The crude oil has to be refined at a refinery before it can be used to create plastic.
Uses of plastics
Plastics are extremely versatile and there are many different variations of plastics. For this reason, they are used in a wide range of consumer and industrial applications. One of the great advantages of plastics is their low density which means that plastic is very lightweight. Furthermore, most plastics have good thermal and electrical insulation properties, but it is even possible to make plastic conduct electricity if needed.
Plastics are also very durable. Many substances that attack other materials can not attack plastics which means plastics are corrosion resistant to a lot of substances. This also makes the plastic great for harsh environments or for storing these substances.
Plastics are also very easy to use in terms of production. They can be shaped exactly as needed, even into very complex shapes. For the above-mentioned reasons, plastics are used in pretty much any industry in the world. It’s a lot harder to find an industry that doesn’t use plastic than it is to find one that does.
Some examples of industries that use plastics in big numbers are:
- Packaging
- Building & Construction
- Mobility & Transport
- Electronics
- Agriculture
- Healthcare
- Sport & Leisures
- Energy
One of the reasons plastics are very heavily debated is because it takes nature many, many years to decompose plastics. If plastic ends up in nature or in the sea then it stays there for many years and harms the wildlife. Therefore it is important that whenever you or someone else is finished using plastic, that you throw it out the right way so that it can be reused again and again.
Innovation in plastics
Plastic is constantly being innovated on and new types of plastics are constantly being discovered. Here is a list of some of the innovations that are currently going on in the plastic industry.
A new bacteria that can break down plastics
A bacteria has been discovered that is capable of breaking down plastics. This discovery can have major effects on how we dispose plastics and how we recycle plastics. For this reason, this is a very exciting discovery that is being studied a lot.
Bioplastics for Food Packaging that biodegrades
Another exciting development that is being worked on is bioplastics. Biodegradable plastics for food packaging are great because food packaging plastic often is the type of plastic that ends up in nature. Currently, it takes 60 years for most plastics to decompose which is the reason that massive amounts of plastics end up in nature and harms wildlife. In Lithuania, the Kaunas University of Technology is currently working on a biodegradable plastic that can decompose in just two years. This will be a huge improvement for the % of plastics that end up in nature.
Fully Recyclable Toothpaste Tubes
Currently, most toothpaste tubes aren’t recyclable which is naturally bad for the environment. As of right now, several major toothpaste companies are working on creating toothpaste tubes that are fully recyclable. Changing toothpaste tubes from being single-use to now easily being reused is a great and important step for the environment and the green movement.
Plastic roads
A new super exciting type of road is also being developed. This new lightweight roadway design only requires a small amount of construction time compared to traditional roads that take a long time to create. Furthermore, this type of road is almost 100% maintenance-free. This new concept is called PlasticRoad and is made 100% from recycled materials and is a sustainable alternative to road structures. Furthermore, this type of road is expected to have a lifespan that is three times as long as the conventional roads.
These were just four examples of the exciting things that are going on in the world of plastic. Hopefully, some of this will turn into reality and help fight global warming and other environmental issues. With innovation and skilled people, plastic can help change the world for the better.
