Plastic Packaging Environmental Impact

There are a lot of discussions about plastic packaging and its impact on the environment these days.

Industries are now facing tremendous public pressure to go green.

Communities are growing more concerned about plastic usage and its effects on the world.

Historically, plastics existed in the 19th century to help communities make available useful every day products.

Inventors and chemists were already developing everyday household items such as combs from brittle. The early form of plastic was first called Parkesine.

It was later renamed celluloid, due to the plant cellulose from which it was sourced.

However, as time progressed, plastic gained a lot of bad press due to its effect on the environment. In 2016, there was a Greenpeace petition for a UK-wide plastic microbead ban that hit 365,000

signatures within four months.

Eventually, this became the most significant environmental petition ever presented to its government.

Even royal members like Prince Charles have given enthusiastic speeches about the dangers of plastic packaging environmental impact, while celebrities like Kim Kardashian have posted on Instagram about the “plastic crisis,” and also claim to have given up straws.

Yet despite the social plastic packaging environmental impact, plastic is still an essential need- especially beyond the consumer’s world. There are crucial packaging processes before any product reaches its end users. Plastic packaging helps safeguard and preserve goods.

At the same time, its lightweight characteristics reduce weight during transits, saves fuel costs, and minimizes greenhouse gas discharges.

Without the aid of plastic, food will not be as affordable as it should be. The freshness in commercial packaging would also be questionable.

Manufacturing and logistics companies would have to restructure the security and protection of their goods.

Not only that, but even consumers will also see more damage in their everyday grocery shopping items and there may be health-related issues on the rise too.

Let us look at some of the general misconceptions of plastic packaging usage and its impact on the environment.

Misconception #1: Plastic packaging is a threat to the environment.

Misconception #2: Paper packaging will replace plastic.

Misconception #3: Plastic is just “use and throw”

Misconception #4: PIastics cannot be recycled.

Misconception #5: Plastics will be banned in the future.

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