What Are the Functions of Plastic Packaging?

Plastic containers are reusable and recyclable

Packaging is very important, whether we are talking about paper, glass, metal, fabric or plastic packaging. Without packaging, goods could not be protected against all sorts of damages. Plastic packaging is very popular, despite the fact that environmentalists view it as a great source of dangerous waste. Plastic is resistant, reusable and recyclable. There are different types of packaging, according to their use.

Types of Plastic Packaging

Plastic packaging comes in many shapes, sizes and colors in order to best protect different types of products. Out of plastic there are two general types of plastic packaging: standard and custom. Standard packaging are film, bottles, bags, containers, boxes, foam sheets, packaging peanuts, bubble wrap and cling film. Custom packaging is made specifically for one type of product. Food and drinks are usually packed in custom plastic packaging to fulfill the needs and desires of food producers (shape, printing, resistance).

Plastic Packaging Protects

Plastic packaging protects goods against contamination, weather damage, scratches, deformation, corrosion and breaking. Without packaging, the food we buy would come in contact with germs and rot faster, electronics would get damaged during storage and transportation or furniture would get scratched and be exposed to weather damages. Though carton boxes are very popular, sometimes even the boxes are wrapped in a protective plastic film to prevent water damaging them (for example tea boxes). There are even envelopes with bubble wrap inside them for a better protection of our documents and small goods we want to ship.

Plastic Packaging Preserves

Though best food preservatives are glass and metal, also plastic provides good preservation. Meat products are packed in a foam tray wrapped with cling film. To preserve food in our homes, we use plastic bags, boxes and containers to store the food in refrigerators. There are also devices to remove the air out of bags, for a better preservation. Storage bags and boxes for our clothes and goods are also good preservers. They prevent dust, moist and bugs to damage our stored goods.

Protection DuringTransportation

It would be impossible to transport unpacked goods. Imagine a truck carrying unpacked decorative glass objects. They would break easily and lose their entire value. Bubble wrap, inflated bags and foam are good protective cushions during transportation. It reduces the shock and prevents goods from bumping into hard objects or corners. The most simple and used plastic packaging materials for shipped goods are packaging peanuts and bubble wrap. More complicated types of cushions are used for electronics (for example the custom cut foam used for computers).

Special Protection

Unlike other materials used for packaging, plastic can offer a special protection. During manufacturing process, chemicals can be added together with the raw material to make plastic packaging for special protection. Metal objects rust and plastic film can be anti-corrosive or anti-static for electronics. There are also plastic films with UV protection widely used in agriculture. They have specific standard colors to indicate their qualities (anti-static plastic is usually pink, anti-corrosive is blue and anti UV is yellow), but they can as well be clear or of any other color.

References

• Food Packaging Standard
• About Packaging

Resources

• A Plastic Explosion
• Facts About Plastic Packaging