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  • Plastic Everywhere! The Versatility of Plastic In Our World
  • Plastics Recycling Guide
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  • Fun Science Experiments for Kids

Plastic Everywhere! The Versatility of Plastic In Our World

Plastic is a polymer made from the combination of plasticizer, mixers, fillers, pigments, and additives. Strong and lightweight, it is an excellent insulator with high heat resistance. It is highly malleable which means it can be easily molded and cast into different shapes. IN addition, plastic can be precision machined utilizing a lathe, into precise components holding very tight tolerances for assembly into medical devices. Plastic is used to make plates, fibers, films, boxes, bottles, toys, appliances and many other items. Let’s take a look at the versatility of plastic in our world.

Transportation

Plastic offers fuels saving, flexibility in design, and high performance at a low cost. This is why it is used in the production of automotive parts and in the body design of light trucks, cars, trailers, and motorcycles. In marine craft, it is used to make canoes, jet skis, motor boats and water safety equipment. Plastic is also used in parts of buses, trains, space shuttles, the wings and tails of aircraft, minesweepers, and various mass transit vehicles.

Energy Materials

Recycled plastic material is a tool for “Go Green” campaign as it is used to make energy efficient bags. It takes less energy to make containers and bags from plastics. If plastics are not used as packaging materials, metal, glass, and paper will be used which requires more electricity to manufacture and to dispose of, and more natural resources to manufacture. According to estimates, one ton of recycled plastic saves at least 17 trees.

Food/Grocery & Shopping Materials

Plastics, especially polyethylene films, are used in the packaging of food items, groceries, and shopping material. Utilizing plastics in this way retards spoilage and protects our food from contaminants. Also, many types of foods are stored in plastic containers which are made from low density polyethylene. Plastics are also used to produce microwavable packaging, dairy containers, plastic bottles, supermarket bags, and carbonated drink bottles.

Toys and Recreational Equipment

Plastics are commonly used to make toys, chairs, and tables for children as well as other forms of recreational items. In recent times, break-resistant multi-colored alternatives are being used to make cups, bowls, and other household items. Additionally, it is used to make decorative art pieces, tableware, cutlery, shower curtains, floor tiles, and even window frames.

Plastic can be recycled and reused which conserves energy. The recycling of plastics is very important because it also reduces the emission of Greenhouse Gases and conserves tons of petroleum which is required for making plastic material. If plastics are not recycled and they are dumped underground to create landfills, there will be an environmental hazard because plastic takes more than 500 years to bio-degrade.

Here are some resources to help you learn more about plastics:

• How Plastics Are Made?: The article covers how petroleum is turned into plastics, plastics processing methods, and more.
• The Making of Plastics: Here, you can learn about the structure of polymers, additives, two plastic types, and more.
• Plastics & Polymers: An article about how plastics have changed the world.
• Misconceptions: A list of seven misconceptions about plastic recycling and plastic.
• History of Plastics: A look at the history of plastics in the United States.
• From Billiards to Bibs: Timeline of the history of plastics from 1862 to 2009.
• History: Another account of the history of plastics.
• The Uses of Plastics: In this article, you will discover some of the uses of plastics.
• The Effects of Plastics: This is a good place to learn about the impacts of plastics on the economy, health, the environment, and even politics.
• No Plastic Bags: Explores how plastics can harm the environment and highlights some alternatives to plastics.
• Recycled Plastics: What are some of the uses for recycled plastics?
• Properties & Uses: Watch the video to learn more about the properties and uses of plastics.
• Plastic Recycling Facts: Some important facts to know about plastic recycling.
• Plastics: The EPA presents an overview of plastics covering facts about plastics, plastics recycling, plastics production, and more.
• Plastic Recycling Codes: If you are serious about plastic recycling, you better know the codes!