Plastic and its responsible use

Universidad La Salle Cancún

Aguirre Sierra Evelyn Elizabeth
Blanco Chacón Sofia Carolina

4B1
Intermediate

1

THE ORIGIN the rapidly electrifying United
OF PLASTIC States.

The first synthetic polymer was Hyatt’s and Baekeland’s
invented in 1869 by John Wesley successes led major chemical
Hyatt, who was inspired by a companies to invest in the
New York firm’s offer of $10,000 research and development of
for anyone who could provide a new polymers, and new plastics
substitute for ivory. soon joined celluloid and
Bakelite. While Hyatt and
The creation of new materials Baekeland had been searching
for materials with specific
also helped free people from the properties, the new research
programs sought new plastics for
social and economic constraints their own sake and worried about
finding uses for them later.

imposed by the scarcity of

natural resources. Inexpensive

celluloid made material wealth

more widespread and

obtainable. And the plastics

revolution was only getting

started.

In 1907 Leo Baekeland invented
Bakelite, the first fully synthetic
plastic, meaning it contained no
molecules found in nature.
Baekeland had been searching
for a synthetic substitute for
shellac, a natural electrical
insulator, to meet the needs of

2

Types of plastic today and
its uses.

1. Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)

One of the plastics you are most
likely to come into physical contact
with on a daily basis, depending on
how it is made PET can be
completely rigid or flexible, and
because of its molecular
construction it is impact, chemical
and weather resistant and a terrific
water and gas barrier.
Common uses of PET: Soft drink, water, cooking oil bottles, packaging trays,
frozen ready-meal trays, First-aid blankets, polar fleece.

2. High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

Incredibly strong considering its
density, HDPE is a solid material that
can tolerate high temperatures and
strong chemicals
Common uses of HDPE: Cleaning
solution and soap containers, Food and
drink storage, shopping bags, freezer
bags, pipes, insulation, bottle caps,
vehicle fuel tanks, protective helmets,
faux-wood planks, recycled wood-
plastic composites.

3

3. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)

Cost effective to produce and highly
resilient to chemical and biological
damage, PVC is easy to work with
and mould into shapes; making it an
extremely practical material. In terms
of properties, PVC is one of the most
versatile.

Common uses of PVC: Signage,

furniture, clothing, medical

containers, tubing, water and sewage

pipes, flooring, cladding, vinyl

records, cables, cleaning solution

containers, water bottles.

4. Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)

At general living temperatures LDPE is a highly non-reactive material, which
explains why it has become one of the most common plastics in use at the
momento. Common uses of LDPE: Trays, containers, work surfaces, machine
parts, lids, ‘6-ring’ drink holders, drink cartons, protective shells, computer
hardware casings, playground fixtures (slides and the like), bin-bags, laundry
bags.

4

5. Polypropylene (PP)

Strong and flexible, polypropylene is a
very hard wearing plastic that, when
melted, is one of the most effective
materials for injection moulding. Common
uses of Polypropylene: Clothing, surgery
tools and supplies, hobbyist model, bottle
caps, food containers, straws, crisp bags,
kettles, lunch boxes, packing tap.

5

Advantages and disadvantages
of plastic

Advantages of Plastics

The growth in the use of plastic is due to its beneficial properties which include:
 Extreme versatility and ability to be tailored to meet specific technical

needs.
 Lighter weight than competing materials reduces fuel consumption during

transportation.
 Good safety and hygiene properties for food packaging.
 Durability and longevity
 Resistance to chemicals, water and impact.
 Excellent thermal and electrical insulation properties
 Comparatively lesser production cost
 Unique ability to combine with other materials like aluminium foil, paper,

adhesives
 Far superior aesthetic appeal.

Disadvantages of Plastics

 When plastics are burned, they produce toxic gases and smoke
 Most plastic wastes littering the roadsides cause disease causing

microorganisms.
 Plastics dumped in water bodies pose a threat to aquatic life.
 The toxic substances present in plastics which are dumped in water bodies

can cause reproductive failure in aquatic organisms.
 Plastics prevent the rainwater from seeping into the ground.
 Dumping of plastics in the ground affects the plants growing in the area as

they dont get enough water from the soil.

6

Why plastic is a worldwide
problem today.

The problem with plastic is that most of it isn't biodegradable. It doesn't rot,

like paper or food, so instead it can hang around in the environment for
hundreds of years. Each year, 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced and
40% of that is single-use - plastic we'll only use once before it's binned.
More than eight million tonnes of plastic enters the world's oceans each year
and most of that escapes from land. It can be blown into the sea from ships
and beaches, or carried there by river. Some also gets flushed down the toilet.
Another issue is that not all plastic can be recycled.
Experts think that by 2050, the amount of plastic in the ocean will weigh more
than the amount of fish in the ocean. All animals, whether they live on land or
in the sea, can be hurt by plastic. They can get trapped in bigger items such
as carrier bags or food packaging. Birds, fish and shellfish can mistake plastic
for food when it has broken down in to smaller pieces. One in three sea turtles,
and around 90% of seabirds, have eaten it. They can't digest plastic so their
stomachs can become full, meaning they don't have room for actual food.
Each year, 100,000 animals in the sea are killed by plastic.
Video: “The Problem with Plastics”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=526gMLHDVLg

7

HOW WE CAN RECICLE
PLASTIC

Plastic recycling is the method of gathering waste plastic and reconverting
them to new and useful plastic products. The world produces and makes
use of more than a trillion pounds of plastic material. Plastic recycling
ensures that this massive amount of plastic does not go to waste. Instead,
you can reprocess the materials to get other products.
To recycle plastic at home, it is necessary to include a specific garbage
can for this waste. Ideally, place this bin next to the main garbage can in
the house. In this way, by throwing away the waste we can more easily
separate the plastic from the rest.
Almost all of the plastic is found in containers and wrappers for all kinds of
products, articles and food. And all this despite the fact that companies are
increasingly aware of the need to stop using this material. Currently, the
best known way to recycle plastic is by depositing the waste of this material
in the yellow container. Waste generated at home can range from plastic
bottels to bag.

8

CREATIVES WAYS OF USING

PLASTIC AT HOME,
SCHOOL, AND IN YOU

NEIGHBOURHOOD.

With large bottles, dividing them Large bottles of laundry can be
transformed into a nice and
in half we can transform them into simple napkin holder.
jars for plants. We can make thousands of
crafts with plastic bottles that
one useful way for bottles is to can be used for school, home,
daily use, etc ... but without a
transform them into makeup doubt the best way to use a
containers. bottle is to transform it into
beautiful savings
Something fun to create and with
the help of the children to keep 9
them entertained is cutting several
strips of plastic and putting them all
together and then putting them
together and inserting a wooden
stick in the middle, transforming it
into a broom.

Future Of The Plastic

If you want to know more about the future of plastic, you can consult these
links, for more information.
1. “The Future Of Plastic Is In Our Hands - Recycling Technologies”

https://youtu.be/nGeVybt5Uao
2. “The Future of Plastics” https://youtu.be/Q-bjTsCL3as
3. “Plastic Pollution, Our Oceans, Our Future...”

https://youtu.be/YGBpHYLNtRA
4. “Plastic: The Scourge of Cities Becomes a Resource”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6teHZ0uU2U

10

Countries in the world that
recycle plastic and what they do.

Swiss Belguim

In the 80s, the country had serious pollution The recycling process established in
problems, the rivers were full of nitrates and Belgium is the same as in Spain, only
phosphates and the soil with heavy metals. with some differences. One of them is the
They chose to take drastic measures and existence of official bags to deposit
they have worked. waste in them.

Recycling is mandatory, if the fines are not It is not allowed to use any plastic bag in
made, they amount to 10,000 euros. Sorting the container, but the bags must be
must be done carefully, therefore most of the purchased specifically. Its cost ranges
garbage is recycled. In Switzerland, 93% between one and two euros each,
glass, 91% aluminum and 83% PET bottles depending on the size. The use of any
are recycled. The measures they took were other type of bag may lead to a fine for it.
successful, they not only help to take care of
the environment, they also translate into Germany
economic and energy savings.
Law in Germany establishes that
Sweden certain supermarkets or points of sale,
which sell bottled beverages, must
Require recycling stations in each have a place to return the containers
residential area. Most Swedes separate all with the pfand (deposit). These
recyclable waste at home, deposit it in containers are collected and
special containers at their homes and then transported to later classify and
take it to recycling stations. Sweden reprocess them.
currently recycles or reuses an incredible
99% of its waste, a figure that surpasses the 11
2012 record of 96%.