Plastic vs. Glass – The Pros And Cons Of Each Material
The invention of both plastic and glass has had drastic effects on the world’s economy and environment. This is particularly evident in beverage containers. But the question to be answered regarding this subject is, which material is better for drinks?
Plastic and glass are two materials that give entirely different vibes as beverage containers. However, when it comes to the manufacturing, distribution, and impacts of plastic and glass on the environment, it is a common thought that one ought to be better than the other.
How Plastic and Glass Are Made
Plastic and glass are both made from natural materials. Yet, the processes of acquiring these elements differ.
Plastic
Plastic is derived from natural materials. While crude oil and natural gas are the main ingredients of plastic, other organic materials such as salt, coal, and cellulose can also create plastic. These raw ingredients are then transformed to become monomers, and these are chemically pieced together to produce polymers. Polymers can come in the form of water bottles and food containers lined on supermarket shelves.
Glass
On the other hand, the creation of glass requires limestone, liquid sand, and soda ash. Recycled glass can help create a brand new one. Although sand can be found in almost all beaches, seabed, and riverbeds, studies have shown that the world exploits it quicker than having it replenished naturally.
So the removal of sand from seabed and riverbeds can disrupt ecosystems. As for limestone, it is responsible for the durability of glass, but its mining can pollute the water and trigger severe harm to marine life.
Transporting Plastic and Glass
The method of transporting plastic and glass varies, and they also differ in transportation footprint.
Plastic
Because it is lightweight, durable, and tightly packed, plastic can be easily transported and distributed to different places. Therefore, it only creates a small transportation footprint. The transportation of plastic is much more straightforward and faster since it needs less fuel compared to glass.
Glass
Glass is heavier and more fragile than plastic, so it must be cushioned during transit. Because of this, glass requires more energy and fuel to distribute and transport to prevent it from breaking during the journey. As a result, glass generates more emissions during transit than plastic.
After Using Plastic and Glass
After the beverages have been drunk from their containers, the plastic and glass materials might end up in different places.
Plastic
Plastic recycling is the process of making practical and valuable products out of used plastic. Recycling is a proven and effective because used plastic can build almost anything like new food packaging containers, picnic tables, or even furniture.
Glass
The quality of glass does not degrade when it is being recycled. However, research shows that only 56 percent of Glass in Australia is recycled, leaving 44 percent hanging elsewhere. Furthermore, glass takes a whopping one million years to decompose, and it will take a lot more if it piles up in a landfill.
So there it is….
Both Plastics and Glass are fit for purpose materials that are commonly used in a wide range of packaging applications. It is important to note that these materials are being recycled worldwide with plastic, in particular, gaining significant momentum in recent years. PET plastic has been used for decades in the beverage industry and is more common than glass. The key reasons for this are due to it being more durable, cost-effective, lightweight (resulting in reduced transport costs / Co2 emissions), and recyclable. In fact, Post-Consumer beverage bottles made from PET are being recycled and turned back into the same product from which they originated from.
All things considered, plastic and PET more specifically is a dominant material in the beverage industry that can be recycled and reused over and over resulting in less landfill and fewer Co2 emissions.