Plastic and sustainability

Plastics is the name for a group of synthetic materials that can be used to produce a wide range of goods.

Although they can be created from organic sources such as plants, most of the plastics in common use today are a by-product of the oil industry.

Plastics are examples of polymers - very large molecules formed by the joining of many small molecules called monomers. The uses of plastics are related to their chemical properties.

There are lots of different types of plastics but most are strong, light and last a long time.

They don’t get damaged by water and some types of plastic can resist heat, chemical damage and electricity.

They also can be made to look nice, including being made into lots of different colours. This is why they are used for things like furniture and decoration.

Here are some examples of different plastics, what they are used for and how easy they are to recycle:

Thermoplastics are the most commonly used plastic. These plastics can be heated, moulded into a shape, and then reheated back to their original shape.

These materials have a low melting point which means they can be used in a variety of manufacture techniques.

Examples of thermoplastics include:-

• ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene)
• acrylic

The molecular structure of thermosetting plastics doesn't allow the molecules to restructure themselves. This mean the materials can't be reshaped or recycled. Their structure does mean that they are very resistant to heat, electricity, chemicals and scratches.

Because of these properties, thermosetting plastics can be found in products such as electrical fittings and circuit boards.

Examples of thermosetting plastics include:-

• melamine
• urea formaldehyde

Most of the plastic we use every day is stamped with a recycling symbol and a number. This tells you whether and how it can be recycled.

• Making them uses oil, gas or coal, which are non-renewable fossil fuels. That means once we have run out of them, they are gone.

• Factories that make plastics produce a lot of toxic fumes and carbon emissions which contribute to climate change.

• They do not biodegrade. This means they won’t break down naturally and unless we tidy them up, they will be around forever.

• Plastic litter is very harmful to wildlife, both on land and in the ocean.

The damage caused by plastic waste is on the increase and people are being warned to take action now before it is too late.

If we follow the simple rule of reduce, reuse, recycle with plastics, we will do our bit to stop plastic harming the environment.

Reducing our plastic use is the best solution out of the three options.

Reduce the amount of plastic we use, especially single-use plastics, such as plastic bottles and plastic cups.

We can reduce our plastic use by using plastic alternatives such as a bamboo toothbrush, a metal water bottle or paper or fabric bags instead of plastic bags.

Reuse plastics as much as possible before recycling them.

For example, you could reuse a takeaway container as a lunch box. You can also reuse plastic bags that you have at home.

Recycle plastic that we do not need anymore. If we recycle plastic, it means we won’t have to make more new plastic using non-renewable materials so it is better for the environment.

Most plastics can be recycled but often this doesn't happen. Make sure to recycle your old plastic bottles, packaging and other plastic items you use.

Plastic can only be recycled a few times, so it is much better to reduce the plastic you buy and use.

Advantages of plastic

• Plastic is a versatile material that can be moulded in to different shapes.

• Plastic is cheap to produce.

• Plastic is lightweight and durable. Unlike metal it does not corrode or rust, which means it is good for containing liquids.

• Plastic does not conduct heat or electricity, which means it can be used in the manufacturing of electrical products.

Disadvantages of plastic

• Most plastic is made from natural materials (coal, oils and gas) that are not renewable and contribute to global warming and climate change

• Factories making plastics produce a lot of toxic fumes that can damage our health. They release carbon emissions which contribute to climate change.

• Plastic does not biodegrade so plastic waste finds its way in to our environment, polluting land, rivers and oceans.

• Plastic waste can be dangerous to wildlife, causing harm to all types of animals, which can get caught in plastic waste or eat small bits of plastic. This can cause the animals to die. Many birds and fish have been found with large amounts of plastic in their stomachs.

• The amount of plastic we use is increasing and a lot of this plastic is designed for single-use and is used only once. This means that the amount of plastic thrown away has also increased causing even more damage to the environment.