Thursday, January 5, 2017

4 Thermoform Plastic Facts Regarding The Sustainability Factor

By Lenna Stockwell


Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Those three words have significant meaning in our world as we try to lessen the amount of waste on our planet. Thermoform plastics are some of the most widely used materials on our planet, and while many people worry about the excess of plastic, there are many aspects of thermoformed plastics that make them quite sustainable.

1. Recycling Is Easy With Thermoform Plastic

Virtually every type of thermoformed plastic can be recycled, in theory, however some are easier to recycle than others. Most curbside recycling programs in the United States allow both high-density polyethylene, known as HDPE, and polyethylene terephthalate, known as PET or PETE. These plastics can be used to create everything from custom food packaging to bags to water bottles.

For those who have a need for custom food packaging or any other form of packages, you might want to consider these two materials as a source. After all, as these can simply be placed into a residential recycling bin, consumers will find it very easy to recycle any product or package made from PET or HDPE.

2. Reduce Waste With Thermoform Plastics

Think back in the past at the sizes of packaging. Often, a package had to be quite large in order to provide adequate protection for a product. However, with careful design, a thermoform plastic piece of packaging can fit perfectly around a package. When you reduce the size of a package, this also reduces the amount of packaging materials that must be used. Likewise, thermoplastics can be used to protect a product from damage and tampering, which is yet another plus.

3. Weight Makes A Difference

Shipping costs are exorbitant, and every time we ship something via truck, train, ship or airplane, precious fossil fuels are used and more pollution is created. Using thermoform plastic can help reduce the use of these fossil fuels and lessen pollution simply because these materials are very lightweight. For instance, if your packaging is lightweight, you can fit more products onto a truck before you reach its weight limit. This means fewer trips are needed to move a larger number of products. This also saves money as you won't have to pay for as much shipping as you would if you used heavier packaging.

4. Eco-Friendly Packaging Is On The Rise

While most thermoformed plastics are recyclable, you also can look at even more sustainable options. For instance, perhaps your retail package or custom food packaging could be produced using thermoformed materials that contain recycled content. Another option would be to consider a starch-based type of plastic that is created from natural, renewable materials rather than synthetic plastics.




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