Plastic is not the devil. It is the way that humans have used it and the currently existing global system on recycling that makes it so. Its usage has greatly contributed to the restoration and rehabilitation of the planet. To give you an idea as to how much plastic packaging has helped the environment, do read on. We will enlist its many environmental benefits that will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about plastic.
1. Landfill space
The usage of plastic and recycled plastic packaging has greatly contributed to the decreased use of landfill space. Australians greatly use plastic and ways to recycle and manage it have been put in place to ensure a continuous decrease in the usage of landfill space. Recent data on the use of plastic by Australians show that 32% of plastic waste is now fully recovered. Such is quite a massive improvement. It should be noted though that of recovered plastic, only 5% is recyclable. This is where work needs to be done. Australians need to be specific in their demand to businesses and institutions to only use recyclable plastic. In Australia, companies like Plas-Pak are leading the way in providing green options for businesses and different institutions. Plas-Pak offers a wide range of plastic jars with lids that are environment-friendly and recyclable.
2. Less plastic pollution
As more and more plastic is now recovered for recycling, the world can expect that there will be less plastic pollution in the coming years. The plastic industry has no choice but to go all-in with the green revolution. The time when all plastic is duly recyclable and is properly recycled is not very far in the future. We have no choice but to go through all possible institutional and economic changes to make such happen. It is doable. All it takes is political will and proper information dissemination.
3. Decrease in wastage
Plastic has greatly helped the health of the planet as it has significantly decreased the amount of waste. This is the case because plastic made it possible for fewer materials to be used in the creation and manufacture of packaging. Before the usage of plastic, more materials were needed to create packaging and manufacture different products. Now though, less is needed as plastic does not need many ingredients. This resulted in a significant decrease in wastage on the planet. The problem though is that people don’t know how to dispose of plastic properly. So much so that plastic is found all over. Even in the depth of the ocean.
4. Affordable production costs
As fewer ingredients and materials are needed to create different kinds of plastics, businesses also greatly benefit when it comes to production costs. The need for minimal material is also one of the reasons why plastic is affordable. Plastic becomes all the cheaper and more environment-friendly when it is recycled. It always feels so good and empowering for both businesses and consumers whenever plastics used for packaging and product manufacturing are recycled. The knowledge immediately removes guilt whenever one is participating in socio-economic activities that can easily harm the environment.
5. Affordable energy costs
Apart from requiring less material and ingredients, it also takes little energy to produce or manufacture plastic. The benefit is doubled in the case of recycled plastic packaging. Because apart from the fact that no new material is used in their creation, they also use significantly lesser energy during production. This is because little to no energy is required to meld ingredients and materials during the creation process. A significant decrease in energy use allows different businesses and industries to pour more funds towards energy consumption. Plastic manufacturers pay less in utilities whenever they produce recycled plastic.
6. Wise use and management of natural resources
Because of the fact that plastic uses little to no new materials (this is the case when plastic is recycled) when it is created, businesses and industries that utilize it also greatly help in promoting the wise use and management of natural resources. Plastic is so much better when compared to paper if we’re going to look at the angle that no new trees need to be cut and torn apart in order to produce it. To fully maximize this benefit, we all just need to be fully adept in proper plastic recycling and disposal.
7. Efficient energy use
Energy use is maximized whenever plastic is used because it needs fewer materials and uses less energy during production. People need to understand that every single creation of materials equates to energy consumption. As less material is needed in the production of plastic, energy consumption from the production of materials themselves is significantly lower. The case is all the better in the production of recycled plastic packaging. As no new materials are needed, little to no energy consumption is required. This is why you should endeavor to use recycled plastic at all times. It has numerous benefits that greatly help in protecting and conserving the environment. Less energy use should be everyone’s priority these days. It is the only way to secure a bright, safe, and green future for all.
8. Sustainable lifestyle
The use of plastic packaging promotes a sustainable lifestyle. It is highly sustainable because if everyone will fully deploy recycling protocols and all businesses will endeavor to use recycled plastics, the world as we know it will need not consume more energy and resources on the creation of plastic. We should make it easy for everyone to exist in a world where every piece of plastic packaging is recyclable and is duly recycled.