The Pros & Cons Of Using Plastic Packaging

17 Jun.,2024

 

The Pros & Cons Of Using Plastic Packaging

Despite the popular belief that plastic packaging is the worst choice, it is widely used because of its performance, durability, and cost-effectiveness. To be used as an ideal 

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packaging material

, plastic packaging must protect the product during shipment and deliver it safely from the manufacturer to the consumer.

Plastic packaging also serves several functions in our lives:

  • Protection: plastic packaging protects vulnerable products from damage or contamination by moisture, insects, gases, microorganisms, etc. while they are in transit.
  • Preservation: plastic packaging also preserves products for longer and reduces waste by providing more time to people to consume or use it.
  • Transportation: plastic packaging allows safe and secure transportation of products to great distances. It also saves space by making stacking efficient.
  • Displays Information: plastic packaging displays information about the product, such as manufacturing and expiry date, nutritional content, etc.

Pros of Plastic Packaging

Plastic packaging has definitely made the lives of online sellers easier. With its help, online sellers are sure about the safety and security of their product until it is delivered to the buyer. The following are a few examples of advantages that plastic packaging has on offer:

Durability

Plastic can serve as one of the best packaging materials it is as strong as steel. This durability feature of the plastic packaging protects the product from wear and tear throughout the shipping journey. It is the best option for all types of products &#; from fragile and expensive products to perishable and hard products. Plastic packaging ensures that the products stay as good as new until they reach customers&#; homes.

Lightweight

Plastic stands at number one when it comes to lightweight packaging material. As per a study, alternative materials, such as paper, glass, aluminum, paperboard, and rubber are 4.5 times heavier than plastic on average. The alternative packaging materials require substantially more material to create the same packaging as plastic.

Plastic packaging is both strong and lightweight. With this winning combination, plastic packaging protects the product and keeps them safe and secure. In fact, it also saves you from manufacturing as well as shipping costs. Also, as plastic is light in weight, it leads to its superior sustainability.

Inexpensive

Plastic packaging is very cost-effective. The manufacturing cost of plastic is less than other materials.

First, it is inexpensive, and second, due to its lightweight, it helps save on shipping and transportation costs as well. So, it saves both in the cost of acquiring it and the cost of getting the products to the consumers. Its material resource efficiency also helps save money.

Versatility

Plastic is extremely versatile, and it can be molded into any shape. Think of vast plastic packaging variety and you will see plastic films, bags, pouches, sleeves, trays, bottles, drums, shells, and pots.

It is difficult to think of a material that is more versatile than plastic. The following are a few things plastic can do:

  • You can get custom-made plastic packaging to fit your product precisely.
  • You can get plastic packaging into a sphere, box, cylinder, or any other shape of your choice.
  • With plastic packaging, you can get a tight or simple open frame option.
  • Plastic can hold any item, from hot and cold to acid and base items.

Sustainable

Though many think that plastic is dangerous for the environment, the reality is the opposite. Many of the qualities of plastic are environmentally negative, such as its resistance to corrosion. But these qualities make plastic very resource-efficient. Plastic packaging can be recycled frequently.

Other Benefits

Plastic helps in every other aspect of life. It helps in storing food and water. Apart from being cost-efficient and durable, plastic packaging is heat and water-resistant as well. Some plastics are recyclable as well which makes them more efficient than paper alternatives like paper bags.

Cons of Plastic Packaging

Plastic is non-biodegradable in nature and because of it, it has become one of the harmful substances. The following are the cons of plastic packaging:

Non-renewable Nature

Plastic packaging is made of non-renewable resources. This feature makes it less desirable than other alternatives. Plastic takes millions of years to degrade. It only contributes to landfills and disturbs the ecosystem.

Burning of Plastics is Harmful

Burning plastic to get rid of it is not the right solution. When you burn it, it releases a lot of toxic chemicals that can impair the lives of plants and animals. So, it is harmful to the environment.

Environmental Pollution

A large number of plastic bags are thrown each year. This garbage ends up in the ocean polluting it and disturbing the marine life and ecosystem. Also, sometimes the presence of microplastics in the food plastic packaging ends up on the food which may contain harmful compounds.

Common Types of Plastic Packaging

As said above, plastic is a very effective packaging material and is used widely all across the globe. The following are a few common types of plastics used in plastic packaging:

LDPE - Low-Density Polyethylene

LDPE is yet another commonly used plastic that is tough but flexible. It is an excellent barrier to water, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. FDPE is an ideal option for food packaging. It is considered a safe plastic option and products made of LDPE can be recycled into bin liners, paneling, floor tiles, shopping bags, and shipping envelopes. Some common uses of FDPE include bubble wrap, zip lock bags, stretch film rolls, playground equipment, and grocery bags.

HDPE &#; High-Density Polyethylene

HDPE is a common type of plastic generally known for its strength ratio and versatility. It is resistant to chemicals as well. Its common uses include bottle caps, cosmetics, and bottled liquids like detergent, shampoo, and milk. HDPE plastic is a safe plastic and can be recycled into rubbish bins, pens, fencing, outdoor furniture, and detergent bottles.

Polystyrene

Polystyrene or Styrofoam is produced in a foam or rigid form. When in foamed form, it is the best option for transporting either cold or hot food and drinks. The common uses of polystyrene include disposable razors, meat trays, CD cases, and protective packaging. Styrofoam has a very bad reputation for a recyclable material as it is hard to recycle. However, it still can be recycled into foam packing, insulation, vents, and flowerpots.

Polypropylene

Polypropylene is a flexible but strong plastic that can be molded into a wide range of functions to suit your needs. This type of plastic can hold heated contents and it is resistant to chemicals and melting points. Polypropylene can be recycled into battery cases, bins, brooms, pallets, bicycle racks, and signal lights. Some of its common uses include plastic cutlery, containers, medicine bottles, PP strapping, and medical instruments.

Now that you know about different types of plastic materials for packaging, they can be used in a wide range of applications and are most safe to use as well. When using plastic packaging, it is important to emphasize its impact on the environment but also understand that some plastic materials are recyclable.

Advantages and disadvantages of plastic packaging

In the market, there are different materials and alternatives for packaging, but plastic packaging is always considered the most recommended choice due to its high strength, low cost, and high flexibility. Over the years, plastic packaging is still popular and people are using it more often.

1. Why is plastic packaging so popular?

Due to many useful functions, plastic packaging serves in many different ways in modern life.

Display information

Plastic packaging allows manufacturers to include important product information on the packaging such as preservatives, nutrients, product usability, recommended amounts, and more.

Long-term preservation

To preserve food longer, manufacturers are using plastic packaging. This will reduce the potential for product waste and allow consumers to use the product for a longer time than before.

Read more: Plastic film and barrier features help protect food

Prevent waste

Plastic packaging prevents products from spilling by keeping them inside the bag.

Protection

To protect vulnerable products during transportation, plastic packaging is the best choice. It can also protect food from moisture, gases, insects, microorganisms, pollution, and light.

Transport

Compared to other alternative materials, plastic packaging allows manufacturers to transport products from long distances. Plastic packaging makes transportation more efficient by saving space.

2. Advantages of using Plastic Packaging

It&#;s durable

Plastic can be as strong as steel. This durability protects your product &#; from perishable foodstuffs to fragile keepsakes to expensive electronics &#; from the wear and tear associated with production and shipping. Plastics packaging ensures your product shows up on store shelves or in your customers&#; homes looking as good as new.

Durable plastics consume less energy during the production process than metals, too, in part due to how light they are.

It&#;s lightweight

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Plastics are prized for being lightweight. Though over 50% of all European goods are packaged in plastics, these plastics only account for 17% of all packaging weight.

With this winning combination of being lightweight and strong, plastic packaging protects your product without adding bulk. It also saves you in manufacturing and shipping costs.

The lightness of plastic is also closely tied to its superior sustainability. Its comparatively low weight contributes to its lower energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions over other materials.

It&#;s sustainable

Though many think plastics are a detriment to the environment, the opposite is true, such as plastic&#;s resistance to corrosion and its bio-inertness, make plastics very resource-efficient.

Plastic packaging is also easily and frequently recycled.

It&#;s versatile

You can mold plastic into essentially limitless shapes. Think of the vast variety of plastics packaging you see all the time.

It&#;s hard to think of a packaging material more versatile than plastic. Here are just a few things it can do:

Fit packaging to your product precisely with a custom-made mold.

Form packaging into a box, sphere, cylinder, or any other shape.

Seal a product tightly or provide a simple open frame or hanger.

Package something as small as a button cell battery or as large as a pallet of bicycles.

Hold hot foods, cold liquids, acids, or bases.

It&#;s cost-effective

Due to its lightweight, plastic packaging saves over alternatives when it comes to shipping and transportation costs. It saves both in the cost to get products to consumers and in the cost to get post-consumer materials to recycling centers.

3. Disadvantages of Using Plastic Packaging

Except for the long list of advantages of plastic packaging, there are also some disadvantages that make use doubt the characteristics of plastic.

Let&#;s learn some disadvantages that have become the most common downfall of the use of plastic packagings.

Low Melting Point

In comparison with other packaging material, the most common downfall of plastic is that they have low melting points.

This means the plastic packaging doesn&#;t withstand in an area where the temperature is a little high.

Due to low melting points, plastics cannot be used in furnaces. Some plastic products are highly flammable such as nylons, polyethylene, acrylics, and polyesters.

These materials are commonly used in offices and home appliances. Low melting point also makes plastic a fire hazard material.

Degradation of the environment

Plastics are non-degradable materials. The decay of this material is not easy. It might take centuries and cause pollution in the environment.

Due to the strong bonding of intermolecular forces, the molecules in the plastic material are constituted.

This property makes sure that the structure of plastic neither decomposes nor corrodes for several thousand years.

The plastic material that is disposed of indecently restricted is washed away by water reservoirs. The plastic clogs the natural sources of water and floats on reservoirs.

This causes pollution and makes water unsightly and useless for humans.

Harmful for nature

The plastic material that is used in means of human consumption purposes, such as food packaging bags contains harmful components.

Improper disposal of plastic packages causes many harmful disadvantages and leads plastic to find its way into natural water bodies.

Here they will decay or resolve after thousands of years ago due to their nature of non-degradability. For animals, littered plastic means death because they can accidentally eat them and die because of choking.

Moreover, in the manufacturing of plastic fabrication, many destructive chemicals are included in the form of colorants, stabilizers, and high enduring substances.

Almost all the time, these chemicals are not undergone the ecological risk approval process and have a negative impact on human nature, and the well-being of the environment is disturbed with these materials.

Phthalates are a common example of plastic fabrication that is commonly used in the manufacturing of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC).

No matter how much plastic is recycled but there are always some that are remaining untouched and uncollected in dump sites and waste yards.

4. Should plastic packaging be used?

Currently, it is difficult to find a material that can replace plastic packaging because of its outstanding advantages. Plastic packaging plays a very important role in the food, beverage, consumer goods industry, etc.

And to limit their disadvantages, especially the bad effects on the environment, we need to be conscious of environmental protection such as:

  • Do not litter in public places

  • Put garbage in the right place and separate plastic waste after use

  • Collect and carry out plastic recycling in accordance with regulations

5. Why choose us?

Bao Ma Production & Trading Co Ltd is complying with the ISO - which ensures the quality control system and the ability to produce different materials and sizes of poly bags and rolls, including:

  • Packing products for agricultural, aquatic, food consumption, industrial purposes.

  • Zip-lock bag, shopping bag, garbage bag, plastic carriers.

  • Plastic sheeting

  • Perforated plastic roll

  • Poly roll of 2m &#; 4m measurement for the use of lining prawn-raising ponds, for construction sites and sewage system usage, and as cover sheets for agricultural and industrial purposes.

  • Printing services on packages of up to 6 colors with customization

  • Trading various plastic raw materials such as PP, HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE&#;

So, please contact us via hotline: (028) 999 &#; 096 314  and let us be honored to serve you in the best way possible.

BAO MA PRODUCTION & TRADING COMPANY LIMITED

Address: No. 21 Tan Tao Industrial Park, Road No. 3, Tan Tao A Ward, Binh Tan District, HCMC

 : (028) 999 &#; 096 314

 : 

 Website: www.poma.com.vn

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