“Plastic makes our modern life possible.” – American Chemistry Council
“Plastic is an irreplaceable part of our nation’s economy, contributing to nearly every vital segment of our manufacturing sector… and our lives. It’s essential to creating medical supplies, comfortable housing, personal safety equipment, a safer food supply, clean energy, and our family cars,” states the American Chemistry Council. They follow with, “Making and distributing plastic where and when it’s needed is vital to our ability to go places, deliver food, run a business, make a cell phone call, and fight disease. And it helps us drive down greenhouse gas emissions.”
This may seem counter-intuitive, particularly when considering the bad reputation the plastic industry has received in recent years. How can an industry known for landfilled waste actually drive down emissions and benefit the environment?
The truth is, there is more to the story than the narrative we’ve heard about plastics. Many in the plastics industry are working to reduce the number of single-use plastics and increase the amount of recycled plastic used in products by building closed-loop systems. For example, Petoskey Plastics works with several customers to purchase used film, recycle it and turn it into our GreenPE® recycled resin pellets. In turn, our GreenPE® is used in our products to provide customers with environmentally conscious options.
Plastics are everywhere and in everything because of the many benefits they provide. The use of plastics allows us to live better lives while contributing to sustainability. As a material, plastic is cheaper, lighter, and more versatile than most other alternatives. Plastic valves and pipes hold up against corrosion and are cheaper and easier to install than pipes made from metal materials. Additionally, using plastics in housing insulation makes our homes significantly more energy efficient and reduces heating and cooling costs.
In the automotive sector, plastic components in vehicles dramatically reduce weight and increase miles per gallon, saving the owner fuel costs and the environment from gas emissions. According to the American Chemistry Council, “Many plastic components can weigh 50 percent less than similar components made from other materials. Modern innovations mean today’s plastics make up 50 percent of a vehicle’s volume, but only about 10 percent of its weight.”
PHOTO, courtesy of McLaren Northern Michigan: Melissa Perry, RN, BSN, Karen Gardener, RN, Stacey Forbes, RN, BSN, ONC, wearing the Petoskey Plastics-made non-surgical isolation gown.
Plastics are essential in the medical field and have helped cut costs while enhancing the quality. Medical devices made with injection molded or extruded plastic provide design opportunities other materials cannot. Plastic use in medical devices has led to fewer infections, increased comfort and safety, and is cheaper for the patient.
“The use of this material not only reduces infection risk in gloves used in surgery for example, but also ensures devices and drugs haven’t been tampered with through packaging with seals,” reports Medical Plastic News.
While plastic manufacturers and consumers must work together to reduce excess waste, don’t forget all the benefits of using plastics instead other materials.
If you want to learn more about the benefits of plastic and educate yourself on the industry, check out these resources:
- The Immeasurable Benefits of Plastic to Humanity
- Chemistry of Plastics
- Plastic: Essential to a Resilient American Infrastructure
- The Benefits of Plastic
Petoskey Plastics is an environmentally focused recycler and plastic film, bag, and resin manufacturer providing superior products and solutions. Headquartered in Petoskey, Michigan, the company provides products and engineered solutions for various industries, including automotive, industrial, institutional, retail, construction and home improvement. Petoskey Plastics has facilities in Michigan, Indiana, Tennessee, and Texas. Learn more at petoskeyplastics.com or find us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.