Plastic is the most common type of packaging in the modern day. While many consumers are looking for product packaging that features less plastic, it is still an indispensable part of modern, safe, clean packages that hold everything from drugs to food.
How are NJ plastic manufacturing companies offsetting the problem of plastic waste and staying relevant in today’s marketplace? By changing the way they make plastic. Here’s how:
Biodegradable Plastics
Today’s plastic manufacturers are looking to produce types of plastic that take far less time to degrade under natural conditions. Why? Because the greatest problem with plastic waste is that it can sit in landfills or float in rivers, lakes, and the open ocean for decades or even longer.
Biodegradable plastics are created with the intention of degrading quickly. These plastics can be made with traditional fossil fuels or may be created using plant-based or other natural sources. They may also contain post-consumer content from previous plastic packaging. All of this helps them leave less of a footprint on the world and spend less time on the planet.
Plant-Based Solutions
Why are more plastic manufacturers using plant-based materials in their plastic packaging? Because it can both speed up the decomposition of plastics after use and can also reduce production costs.
Typical plant-based plastics are expensive and difficult to produce in comparison to those made from fossil fuels. However, starch and cellulose from plant sources are often added to the raw plastic materials to stretch them and make production of bottles and other items cheaper, faster, and more efficient. It also has the added benefit of making compostable bottles and other packaging degrade faster, especially in environments with plenty of bacteria and fungi. This makes them welcome additions to any compost pile of landfill.