Plastic containers are containers made exclusively or partially of

plastic Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Their plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be moulded, extruded or pressed into solid objects of various shapes. This adaptab ...

. Plastic containers are ubiquitous either as single-use or reuseable/durable plastic cups, plastic bottles, plastic bags, foam food containers, Tupperware, plastic tubes, clamshells, cosmetic containers, up to

intermediate bulk container Intermediate bulk containers (also known as IBC tank, IBC tote, IBC, or pallet tank) are industrial-grade containers engineered for the mass handling, transport, and storage of liquids, semi-solids, pastes, or solids. The two main categories of I ...

s and various types of containers made of corrugated plastic. The entire

packaging industry {{set category, first=industries Industry may refer to: Economics * Industry (economics), a generally categorized branch of economic activity * Industry (manufacturing), a specific branch of economic activity, typically in factories with machin ...

heavily depends on plastic containers or containers with some plastic content (e.g. plastic coating or when made of

composite material A composite material (also called a composition material or shortened to composite, which is the common name) is a material which is produced from two or more constituent materials. These constituent materials have notably dissimilar chemical or ...

), besides paperboard and other materials. Food storage nowadays relies mainly on plastic food storage containers. A basic but important distinction is between single-use / disposable and multi-use / durable containers. The former makes up a notable portion of the global plastic waste (e.g.

toothpaste Toothpaste is a paste or gel dentifrice used with a toothbrush to clean and maintain the aesthetics and health of teeth. Toothpaste is used to promote oral hygiene: it is an abrasive that aids in removing dental plaque and food from the teeth ...

tubs, food delivery foam containers, most plastic bottles, etc.). Because of the multitude of container applications, the types of plastic vary widely. Because of the material variety (combinations are no exception), the waste will make up a significant portion of plainly visible

plastic pollution Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic objects and particles (e.g. plastic bottles, bags and microbeads) in the Earth's environment that adversely affects humans, wildlife and their habitat. Plastics that act as pollutants are cate ...

although some containers like bottles are recyclable. The convenience and low cost of plastics are the main reasons for their continuously increasing use. Plastic packaging can keep food fresh longer, prevent food waste, and provide consumers with a greater variety of food. In addition, goods in plastic packaging can be easily transported and distributed. Plastic has replaced traditional materials like

wood Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of ligni ...

, paperboard, and metal for the manufacture of containers because of its

price A price is the (usually not negative) quantity of payment or compensation given by one party to another in return for goods or services. In some situations, the price of production has a different name. If the product is a "good" in t ...

, moldability/ formability, durability and light weight.

Waste

It is estimated that 3.4 billion tonnes of plastic packaging were created between 1950 and 2017. Most plastic packaging is disposed of within a relatively short time. Discarded packaging accounts for 46% (158 million tonnes) of total annual plastic waste generation. Most plastic packaging waste is estimated to come from household waste. According to a 2010 survey by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), 73% of all plastic packaging waste in the United Kingdom came from households. Waste plastic packaging makes up a considerable portion of collected aquatic litter (15.9% in the oceans and 74.5% in rivers). In a 2019 report,

The Coca-Cola Company The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational beverage corporation founded in 1892, best known as the producer of Coca-Cola. The Coca-Cola Company also manufactures, sells, and markets other non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrup ...

divulged the company created 3 million tons of plastic packaging in 2017 with

Nestlé Nestlé S.A. (; ; ) is a Swiss multinational food and drink processing conglomerate corporation headquartered in Vevey, Vaud, Switzerland. It is the largest publicly held food company in the world, measured by revenue and other metrics, sin ...

creating 1.7 million tons,

Unilever Unilever plc is a British multinational consumer goods company with headquarters in London, England. Unilever products include food, condiments, bottled water, baby food, soft drink, ice cream, instant coffee, cleaning agents, energy ...

creating 610,000 tons and Colgate-Palmolive nearly 300,000 tons. In the late 2010s, 150 companies signed up to be part of The Ellen MacArthur Foundation's commitment to reduce plastic pollution.

Alternatives

Alternatives such as cotton bags, cardboard boxes and aluminum cans often have larger ecological footprints because these use up more energy and water to manufacture and transport than their plastic equivalents. In addition, very few countries have facilities for recycling materials that are deemed to be less environmentally harmful than plastic. In most cases, this allegedly safe packaging gets in the natural landscape in the form of waste.

Trade groups

In the U.S., the industry is represented by the Society of the Plastics Industry, Closure & Container Manufacturers Association, Flexible Packaging Association, and others.

Global market

Today packaging is the largest use of plastic resins, accounting for 36% (158 million tonnes) of the world’s total plastic production by mass. Plastic packaging is used in the commercial, retail, household, tourism and agricultural sectors. Consumption rates vary among and within countries, with developing countries generally less reliant on packaging. In China annual plastic packaging consumption is approximately 14 kg/capita; in Europe the rate is much higher, averaging 174 kg/capita. Asia Pacific dominated the global plastic packaging market in 2016. In second place comes North America. The pharmaceutical and food and beverage industries contributed the most to the use of plastic packaging products. During 2016, Asia Pacific accounted for more than 30 percent of the shares of the total volume consumption in this market. The Ocean Conservancy reported that China, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam dump more plastic in the sea than all other countries combined.

References

Sources

Bibliography

* Soroka, W, "Fundamentals of Packaging Technology", IoPP, 2002, * Soroka, W, Illustrated Glossary of Packaging Terminology, Institute of Packaging Professionals

* Yam, K. L., "Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology", John Wiley & Sons, 2009, {{Packaging Plastics applications Containers