Information on Plastic Packaging
Plastic is used as a popular, inexpensive form of packaging throughout the world. Unfortunately, plastic packaging also accounts for a significant amount of residential and commercial waste, the US Environmental Protection Agency estmiates 13.7 million tons of plastic was disposed of in landfill's in 2005.
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Types
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There are six chemical compounds commonly used in plastic packaging, including polyethylene terphthalate, high density polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride.
Uses
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Plastic is used for packaging a number of grocery products including egg, milk and beverage containers. Other packaging uses include medicine bottles and dry cleaning bags.
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Recycling
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The Plastics Industry Trade Association developed a recycling program which labels each plastic container with a standard mark and number. Plastic bottles and containers marked with the numbers 1 and 2--adding up to 96 percent of the plastic bottles and containers used in the US--are recyclable.
Plastic Bags
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Plastic bags are created from a hydrocarbon which is difficult to degrade due to its strong molecular structure. However, it will degrade with a combination of heat and ultraviolet light.
Waste
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The US Environmental Protection Agency reported that in 2005, plastic packaging made up 56 percent of all plastics waste in the USA, of which approximately 75 percent was household waste.
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