The Plastic Sales Crisis: Every Second Counts

Plastic is a rapidly growing segment of municipal solid waste (MSW). Humans produce over 380 million tons of plastic every year, with some reports suggesting that up to 50% of that is for single-use purposes. In the time it has taken you to read this paragraph, countless plastic products have been sold, with plastic bags and plastic bottles being the most common.

Plastic packaging is the highest-demand use for plastic

Plastic is a rapidly growing segment of municipal solid waste (MSW). While it is found across all major MSW categories, the containers and packaging category had the most plastic tonnage at over 14.5 million tons in 2018. This category includes bags, sacks, wraps, bottles, jars, and other containers.

Plastic packaging is in high demand due to its versatility, performance benefits, and sustainability. It is widely used in consumer and industrial applications, with the packaged food and beverage sector experiencing significant growth globally. The demand for packaged food is expected to increase with the growing world population.

Plastic bottles are commonly used for beverage packaging because of their low cost, convenience, and superior performance. Trays and containers are also popular in the foodservice and packaged food sectors due to their lightweight and aesthetic qualities. Pouches are gaining popularity in the market as they require less plastic material to produce compared to rigid products like bottles and jars. Additionally, pouches offer multiple closure choices, such as zippers, tear notches, and spouts, making them attractive to consumers.

The plastic packaging industry faced significant disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic due to lockdowns in China, a key manufacturer and supplier of plastics, and the closure of trade boundaries. This created a demand-supply gap, impacting plastic packaging manufacturers worldwide. However, the gap was primarily observed in the first quarter of 2020.

Plastic resins are used in containers and packaging

Plastic resins are a widely used material in the packaging industry. They are lightweight, highly durable, and cost-effective. Plastic resins are used in a variety of container and packaging products, such as beverage bottles, bags, sacks, wraps, and lids.

One of the most common types of plastic resins used in packaging is PET (polyethylene terephthalate). PET is clear, tough, and has good barrier properties against gas and moisture. It is commonly used in beverage bottles and injection-molded consumer product containers. PET is strong, impact-resistant, naturally colorless, and transparent. It is also lightweight, making it ideal for packaging applications. Recycled PET is in high demand for producing textiles and geotextiles.

Another commonly used plastic resin in packaging is HDPE (high-density polyethylene). HDPE is the most widely used type of plastic and is used to make many types of bottles and containers. It is often used for packaging products with a short shelf life, such as milk, due to its good chemical resistance. HDPE is also used for packaging household and industrial chemicals, such as detergents and bleach.

PS (polystyrene) is another versatile plastic resin used in packaging. It can be rigid or foamed and is typically used in protective packaging, food service packaging, bottles, and food containers. PS is often combined with rubber to create high-impact polystyrene, which is used for durable applications requiring toughness.

Other types of plastic resins used in packaging include PP (polypropylene), which has good chemical resistance, strength, and a high melting point, making it suitable for hot-fill liquids. Plastic resins are also used in flexible packaging, fibers, and large molded parts for consumer products. The versatility of plastics allows for different resins to be used for specific applications, taking into account factors such as rigidity, transparency, and heat-sealing requirements.

The use of plastic resins in containers and packaging contributes significantly to the overall production and consumption of plastic. While the exact amount of plastic sold every second is unclear, it is evident that plastic production and consumption have proliferated in recent decades. Annually, approximately 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide, and the production of plastic has increased compared to previous centuries. The use of plastic resins in containers and packaging is a significant aspect of the global plastic economy, with its advantages in cost-effectiveness, durability, and weight contributing to its widespread adoption.

Plastic is used in durable goods like appliances and furniture

Plastic is an incredibly versatile material, and humans have become addicted to it. We produce over 380 million tons of plastic annually, and it is estimated that more than 10 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans each year. Plastic is used in a variety of products, from containers and packaging to durable goods like appliances and furniture.

In the durable goods category, plastic is found in both large and small appliances, furniture and furnishings, carpets and rugs, consumer electronics, and other miscellaneous items like luggage and sporting goods. The EPA defines durable goods as products with a lifetime of three years or more, and this category made up 19.5% of total municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in 2018, with 57.1 million tons of durable goods generated that year.

Appliances with plastic components include vacuum cleaners, mixers, blenders, juicers, and hairdryers, as well as washing machines, dishwashers, coffee makers, electric kettles, and blender jars. Plastic is often used in these products because it is lightweight, durable, and resistant to temperature changes and corrosion.

Furniture and furnishings made with plastic include sofas, tables, chairs, and mattresses. While wood and ferrous metals are the most common materials in this category, plastics are also present. Recycled plastic, such as High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), is used to create new containers, packaging, and furniture, reducing environmental pollution.

Plastic beverage bottles: 100.7 billion sold in the US in 2014

Plastic is a rapidly growing segment of municipal solid waste (MSW). It is cheap, versatile, and durable, making it ideal for various applications. However, these qualities have also made it an environmental concern, with plastic pollution increasing every year.

Plastic beverage bottles, in particular, contribute significantly to this issue. In 2014, 100.7 billion plastic beverage bottles were sold in the United States, according to the Container Recycling Institute. This equates to approximately 315 bottles per person. Of these, 57.3 billion, or 57%, were plastic water bottles. This number has increased significantly from 3.8 billion in 1996, the earliest year for which data is available.

The production and consumption of plastic water bottles have several environmental implications. Firstly, the manufacturing process is water-intensive, requiring around six times more water than the amount contained in the bottle. Secondly, plastic bottles contribute significantly to litter, with 14% of all litter originating from beverage containers, excluding caps and labels, which would increase this percentage. Finally, when plastic bottles end up in landfills, they can take up to 1,000 years to decompose, leaking harmful chemicals into the environment during this extended period.

To address the environmental impact of plastic beverage bottles, efforts are being made to reduce, recycle, and reuse. Beverage companies are investing in improving recycling infrastructure and services, providing recycling carts to cities and towns, and funding state-of-the-art equipment to enhance the quality and quantity of recycled materials. Additionally, companies are designing bottles to be 100% recyclable, with initiatives like "Every Bottle Back" aiming to decrease the use of new plastic in bottles and increase the use of recycled plastic.

Plastic bags: 500 billion used annually worldwide

Plastic is a versatile material with properties that make it ideal for a wide range of applications. However, its over-use has resulted in it becoming an environmental issue. Plastic bags, in particular, have come under scrutiny due to their negative impact on the environment and health hazards.

With an average "working life" of just 15 minutes, plastic bags are used excessively and often discarded improperly. Annually, approximately 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide, with more than one million bags used every minute. This contributes significantly to the growing problem of plastic pollution.

The issue is not just the quantity of plastic bags used, but also their fate after their short useful lives. Plastic bags do not break down completely but instead photo-degrade, fragmenting into microplastics that absorb toxins and continue to pollute the environment. These microplastics find their way into oceans and waterways, where they are ingested by marine life, including fish, sea turtles, and birds, leading to toxic debris accumulation in their stomachs.

The impact of plastic bags on marine life is devastating. Birds often mistake shredded plastic bags for food, and sea turtles struggle to distinguish between jellyfish and floating plastic bags. Fish consume thousands of tons of plastic annually, transferring it up the food chain to larger fish and marine mammals, ultimately affecting human health as well.

To address this global issue, many countries and states have taken legislative action to regulate plastic bags. As of July 2018, 127 countries had adopted some form of legislation to curb plastic bag usage. Additionally, individuals can play a role by reducing their plastic consumption, reusing bags, and supporting initiatives like the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act, which aims to hold the industry accountable for its waste and pause the construction of new plastic-producing plants.

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