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Q: How are plastics made?
A: Plastics consist of building blocks called
hydrocarbons, typically derived from petroleum or
natural gas. These monomers (small molecules) are bonded
into chains called polymers or plastic resins. Different
combinations of monomers yield resins with special
properties and characteristics.
Q: Why are plastics used in packaging?
A: Packaging serves many purposes, but one of its
primary functions is to help protect the quality of
goods -- ranging from sensitive electronics to fresh and
prepared foods -- during shipping, handling, and
merchandising. Plastics are a versatile family of
materials that are suitable for a wide range of
packaging applications. In many cases, plastics offer
the best protection while using minimal resources and
creating less waste than alternative materials. In fact,
400 percent more material by weight would be needed to
make packaging if there were no plastics, while the
volume of packaging would more than double.
Q:
Can
ecopak™
packaging be recycled together with PET bottles?
A: YES.
ecopak™
packaging can be recycled together with PET bottles or
any other type of PET materials.
Q: Why do we need different kinds of plastics?
A: Copper, silver and aluminum are all metals, yet each
has unique properties. You wouldn't make a car out of
silver or a beer can out of copper because the
properties of these metals are not chemically or
physically able to create the most effective final
product. Likewise, while plastics are all related, each
resin has attributes that make it best suited to a
particular application. Plastics make this possible
because as a material family they are so versatile.
Six resins account for nearly all of the plastics used
in packaging:
-
PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is a clear,
tough polymer with exceptional gas and moisture
barrier properties. PET's ability to contain carbon
dioxide (carbonation) makes it ideal for use in soft
drink bottles.
-
HDPE (high density polyethylene) is used in milk,
juice, and water containers in order to take
advantage of its excellent protective barrier
properties. Its chemical resistance properties also
make it well suited for items such as containers for
household chemicals and detergents.
-
Vinyl (polyvinyl chloride or PVC) provides
excellent clarity, puncture resistance and cling. As
a film, vinyl can breathe just the right amount,
making it ideal for packaging fresh meats that
require oxygen to ensure a bright red surface while
maintaining an acceptable shelf life.
-
LDPE (low density polyethylene) offers clarity
and flexibility. It is used to make bottles that
require flexibility. To take advantage of its
strength and toughness in film form, it is used to
produce grocery bags and garbage bags, shrink and
stretch film, and coating for milk cartons.
-
PP (polypropylene) has high tensile strength,
making it ideal for use in caps and lids that have
to hold tightly onto threaded openings. Because of
its high melting point, polypropylene can be
hot-filled with products designed to cool in
bottles, including ketchup and syrup. It is also
used for products that need to be incubated, such as
yogurt.
-
PS (polystyrene) is a colorless plastic that can
be clear and hard. It can also be foamed to provide
exceptional insulation properties. Foamed or
expanded polystyrene (EPS) is used for products such
as meat trays, egg cartons and coffee cups. It is
also used for packaging and protecting appliances,
electronics and other sensitive products.5
Q: What about CFCs?
A: In response to concerns about the ozone layer,
polystyrene manufacturers voluntarily phased out the use
of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the late 1980s.
Q: Why are plastics used in durable goods?
A: Manufactured items with a useful life of more than
three years -- cars, appliances, computers, etc. -- are
called durable goods. Manufacturers of durable goods
choose plastics for many reasons:
-
The automotive industry chooses plastic for its
durability, corrosion resistance, ease of coloring
and finishing, resiliency, energy efficiency, and
light weight. Light weight, for instance, translates
into lowered handling and transportation costs all
down the line.
-
Major appliance manufacturers use plastics
because of their ease of fabrication and outstanding
thermal insulation -- characteristics that
significantly reduce energy consumption.
-
The building and construction industry uses vinyl
siding for homes because of its appearance,
durability, ease of installation, and energy
efficiency.
Plastics can reduce energy consumption for the auto,
appliance, and building and construction industries,
providing a substantial savings in production costs.
Q:
Does PET contain Bis-phenol A?
A: There is no connection between PET plastic and Bis-phenol
A.
Bis-phenol A is not used in the production of PET
material, nor is it used as a chemical building block
for any of the materials used in the manufacture of PET.
Bis-phenol A is used to make polycarbonate, a different
plastic from PET.
Q: Do I need to worry about phthalates in PET?
A:"Phthalates" (pronounced THA-lates) are a class of chemicals
that include three subsets, each with different
properties. PET or polyethylene terephthalate
belongs to one of these phthalate subsets, but
not the one most commonly associated with them.
Orthophthalate is the phthalate subset most commonly
referenced and discussed in popular literature and
on internet sites; it has been the subject of some
negative press. Often used to make various plastics
more flexible, this type of phthalate is also called
a plasticizer.
PET does not contain plasticizers or orthophthalates.
Plasticizers are never substituted for
terephthalates used in the manufacturer of PET, nor
are the two ever mixed.
PET packaging is selected by companies for a wide
variety of product applications because it is safe,
strong, shatter-proof, and recyclable.
Q: Is there a risk from antimony used to make PET?
March 24, 2006 statement on antimony from
"Plastics Europe"
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A: Antimony is used as a catalyst in the production
of PET plastic. Catalysts speed chemical reactions
and are commonly used in manufacturing to ensure
that a process happens fast enough to make it
commercially practical.
Antimony was chosen based on its performance against
various selection criteria, including effectiveness
as a catalyst, productivity, safety, few, if any,
adverse effects, and an acceptable overall cost.
Antimony, used in PET as the oxide of antimony, has
been used and researched for decades. Metallic
antimony is not used.
In the science of toxic effects (toxicology), two
key factors are used to determine a hazard: 1) How
dangerous is the material?, and 2) How much of the
material is released? A 1997 study showed that
antimony oxide has very low toxicity.1
The compound is relatively inert and does not
participate in biological life. As for how much
antimony oxide is released from PET, long-term
studies indicate that it's very little. A report by
the International Life Sciences Institute showed
"less than five parts per billion" being released
into liquid contents.2
This is compliant with the Environmental Protection
Agency's National Primary Drinking Water Standard.
Multiplied together, antimony oxide's very low
toxicity combined with very low occurrence means
very, very low risk. Its use in PET does not
endanger workers, consumers, or the environment.
1
APME technical dossier on The Toxicological
Properties of Antimony Oxide, 1997, subject of a
petition to the EU Scientific Committee on Food (SCF)
2
Report on Packaging Materials: 1. Polyethylene
Terephthalate (PET) for Food Packaging Applications,
International Life Sciences Institute, Washington,
DC and Brussels, Belgium
www.napcor.com
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