Plastics Indulgence

May 10, 2016

Yes, plastics are fantastic, essential to the fabric of global society as well as the economy. Then again, so is chocolate. I work hard to weigh the pros and cons of my chocolate indulgence, and seek a middle ground: I don’t deny myself, but neither do I binge. Similarly, I believe that the responsible production, use, and recovery of plastic are shared responsibilities, issues that need to be considered more seriously by all of us.

Benefits and Concerns

Plastic is found virtually everywhere. We all know plastics are polymers derived from petroleum, natural gas, or coal (that is, except for compostable and/or biodegradable plastics). Polymers can be amazing; simply varying the length and structural arrangement of polymer chains helps to give plastic markedly different properties. When densely packed, you get rigid plastic. More loosely spaced, and you get a softer, more pliable plastic. However, to really make functional plastics, chemical additives need to be introduced to aid the manufacturing process. Chemical additives are also essential for producing specific qualities in plastic, such as flexibility.

While plastics themselves can be an environmental issue if littered, or improperly used or disposed, the most significant environmental and health concerns are most often due to those chemical additives used in manufacturing. We’ve all heard of the major issues: plastics that end up in the ocean and elsewhere are digested by wildlife; plastic microbeads end up down our drains and are difficult to filter through our water treatment systems, and thus easily consumed by aquatic wildlife (in fact, President Obama signed a bipartisan bill late last year that bans them); and, synthetic plastics that take hundreds of years to degrade. The health concerns include those associated with bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, and other plastic additives which are hormone-mimicking, endocrine disruptors.

The positive benefits of plastics are many.  Certain plastics are able to hold-up under high temperatures, making them an important material for aerospace applications, including their use for rocket solid fuel boosters. Plastics are lightweight, rigid, and durable, so they are used widely for aircrafts and helicopters. They withstand vibrations, and their use contributes to better aerodynamics and improved fuel efficiency. Use of plastic in trucks and automobiles has greatly reduced vehicle weight, thus contributing to fuel efficiencies.

The building and construction industry is the second largest consumer of plastic. Plastics are resistant to corrosion, leading to their wide use for pipes and valves. Plastics are lower cost, easy to handle and install, and durable, so other common construction uses include bathroom units, plumbing fixtures, flooring, siding, panels, insulation, doors, railings, and more.

Of course other properties of plastics, such as being malleable, durable, and lightweight, make them perfect components in appliances, electronics, furniture, and a host of other common consumer commodities.

And, then there’s packaging.  The versatility of plastic certainly lends to its application for a wide variety of packaging purposes—from film to containers. Plastic serves an important role in product protection, whether it’s food wrap, or rigid foam for encasing electronics or other products for storage and shipping. It’s convenient for carrying and holding items. And, of course, plastic packaging can be designed into any shape, size, or color imaginable.

Plastic and plastic composite packaging has been instrumental in lightweighting food and beverage containers, as well as other items, for more efficient product shipping, significantly lowering costs associated with storage and shipping.

Nonetheless, plastic remains a material fraught with undeniable environmental and health impacts.

A recent case in point is Time Magazine’s article on microwaving plastic containers. Personally, because of plastic toxicity, whether known or unknown, I would never microwave in a plastic container… “microwave-safe” or not. Nor do I drink coffee or get food in Styrofoam containers. Call me paranoid if you like.

Time Magazine—not typically your radical environmentalist magazine—brings out some interesting points, however, on the topic. For example, according to the article, “Several chemicals in pliable plastic can leach into your food when you heat it, and even if you’re diligent enough to transfer the food to a bowl or plate labeled ‘microwave-safe,’ you still may not be protected.” A major point of the article is that “microwave safe” essentially means that the product or container will not melt or break when heated. The term, the article continues, does not mean that it is safe to microwave food directly in the pliable plastic container. Again, the concerns addressed in the Time article largely point to the presence in the plastics of phthalates and BPA.

Interestingly, the article cites an analysis of 455 common plastic products—including a number claiming to be BPA-free—and determined that 70% of them tested positive for estrogenic activity. The number went up to 95% when the plastics were microwaved.

Considerations

Clearly, our society in general, and plastics manufacturers and consumers in particular, need to educate themselves and address the environmental and health issues associated with plastics. Questions that could be asked include, should plastics labeled as “microwave safe” provide more information about potential health effects? Are the exfoliating benefits of microbeads in shampoos and other products sufficient to offset impacts on health and the environment? Not so far as I have been able to determine; buy a luffa sponge instead.

While there are certainly exceptions, I would urge manufacturers of plastic packaging to prioritize the recyclability of their products. Engaging with manufacturers to encourage greater use of recycled plastic resins would be beneficial for all of us in the industry to undertake. Several electronics manufacturers have stated their commitment to using more recycled content…how about other manufacturers? To an extent, the world economy dictates recycled content usage, and with oil prices in the tank virgin resin prices are concurrently low. Thus manufacturers are purchasing virgin resins. Of course, if our economic forces included an accurate measure of environmental impact, nonrenewable resource use, etc. in our product pricing—instead of the common practice of externalizing social and environmental costs—perhaps this would change.

Are plastics manufacturers wholly responsible for all the plastic litter that ends up alongside our roads, and in our waterways and oceans? No; we, the consumers of said plastics, are the culprits in this. Certainly, public agencies could be more mindful of adopting and enforcing antilitter ordinances and campaigns. And, we, the consumers, need to avoid carelessly tossing our cigarette butts (which contain plastic filters) and other plastic items—from fishing lines to bags.  Plus, we need to be better about recycling all the plastics that are recyclable.

So while I contemplate the indulgence of chocolate, perhaps we can all give some thought to our indulgence in plastics and how to minimize potential consequences.

By Athena Lee Bradley (with editing advice from Robert Kropp)