In praise of Plastic
Plastic can be moulded into almost any shape, size, or colour, making it ideal for packaging, construction, electronics, automotive, and countless consumer products.
· Plastic is inexpensive to produce and process, making products affordable and widely accessible even to the poorest people.
Used in sectors like medical, transportation, aerospace, and agriculture, enabling innovation and cost efficiency.
· Essential in healthcare for sterile packaging, syringes, and medical devices.
· Provides essential insulation for electrical systems.
Provides protection against bacteria, viruses, fungi, insects, rodents, food-waste, and fire if made with d2p (www.d2p.net)
Much lighter than metal or glass - reducing transport costs, fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Much lighter and less bulky than paper or cardboard, and much more durable, especially when wet.
Resistant to corrosion, moisture, and chemicals - plastics extend product life and reduce maintenance costs.
In construction, plastic pipes, tanks, and insulation reduce costs and improve energy efficiency.
In agriculture, plastic mulching films reduce weed growth, conserve water, and improve crop yields. If made with NbR they do not need to be removed after the harvest, and will improve the soil. (https://www.symphonyenvironmental.com/natural-biodegradable-resin/ )
Plastic packaging reduces food waste by protecting against contamination and spoilage.
Plastics use less than 3% of oil resources, which used to be flared off at the refinery.
Plastics made from polyethylene and polypropylene are not made from crops and do not therefore compete with food supplies.
The downside. If it gets into the environment as litter, plastic packaging can create microplastics and lie or float around for decades, but not if made with a technology such as d2w (https://www.symphonyenvironmental.com/technologies/biodegradable-plastic/)