In some sectors, plastic gets a bad press. Environmental groups are rightly concerned about how long plastic takes to break down and its effects on wildlife. However, this is not so much a problem with plastic itself as with how we humans use plastic products and especially how we dispose of them. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons that plastic bottle consumption is so high.
The Perfect Storage Material
Plastic is a relatively cheap, versatile and recyclable material. On top of that, it is the perfect material for storing food and drink because it is non-reactive and can be sealed. Before plastic came along, drinks were typically stored in glass bottles and wooden casks. Glass is brittle and can be shattered easily. Wood changes shape when wet. Plastic solves these problems.
The Increase in Plastic Bottle Use
Coca-Cola introduced the 2 litre PET plastic bottle in 1978. They were a hit and many other firms introduced plastic bottles for their drinks. In 1978 if you wanted a drink of water you stuck your head under a tap. These days, UK water drinkers get through 3 billion litres of bottled water. That’s the statistic for water alone, if you count all the other drinks available in plastic bottles, you can see how the usage and disposal of these bottles could be a major issue for environmentalists.
Responsible Plastic Bottle Use
It makes total sense to use plastic to bottle our drinks. However, as a nation we could do better at disposing of our plastic bottles in a more responsible manner. Sadly, only just over half of the 15 million PET bottles we use each day make it into recycling, the rest wind up in landfill where they will take up to 500 years to decompose.
A Responsible Company
At Coda Plastics Ltd, we design and manufacture plastic bottles for use in the drinks, cosmetics and domestic markets. We also have a responsible approach to recycling. We recycle our own waste and we even take in the waste from other companies and use that in our manufacturing processes.
If you have a product that you would like to be packaged in a PET plastic bottle and you want an environmentally conscious company to manufacture that bottle then don’t hesitate to get in touch. Contact us by email on sales@coda-plastics.co.uk or call us on +44 1692 501020.
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