Outline Why “plastic age” and why plastic? Nowadays Future Conclusion

Why “plastic age” and why plastic?

Nowadays

Future

Conclusion

Why? Plastic is everywhere since ~1900 production: 100 million tons / year What is plastic? a range of synthetic or semi-synthetic polymerization products many are malleable, having the property of plastic ity Properties resistant, durable, good container & insulator easy to produce inexpensive

Plastic is everywhere

since ~1900

production: 100 million tons / year

What is plastic?

a range of synthetic or semi-synthetic polymerization products

many are malleable, having the property of plastic ity

Properties

resistant, durable, good container & insulator

easy to produce

inexpensive

But… manufacturing often creates large quantities of chemical pollutants lifecycle : very short for many products durable -> very slow degradation (hundreds of years) burning it can release toxic fumes plastic waste 26% * total volume 10% * total weight

manufacturing often creates large quantities of chemical pollutants

lifecycle : very short for many products

durable -> very slow degradation (hundreds of years)

burning it can release toxic fumes

plastic waste

26% * total volume

10% * total weight

Is it really cheap? cheap while ignoring the end-of-life implications minimal reuse After usage solutions burn energy-efficient but can release toxic substances recycle difficult let it be  hundreds of years

cheap while ignoring the end-of-life implications

minimal reuse

After usage solutions

burn

energy-efficient but can release toxic substances

recycle

difficult

let it be 

hundreds of years

Recycle? (1) 1. PET : soft drinks bottles, oil bottles 2. HDPE : detergent bottles, milk jugs 3. PVC : pipes, outdoor furniture, liquid detergent containers 4. LDPE: dry-cleaning bags, trash can liners, food storage containers 5. PP: bottle caps, drinking straws 6. PS: cups, plastic tableware, meat trays, take-away food clamshell containers 7. Others

1. PET : soft drinks bottles, oil bottles

2. HDPE : detergent bottles, milk jugs

3. PVC : pipes, outdoor furniture, liquid detergent containers

4. LDPE: dry-cleaning bags, trash can liners, food storage containers

5. PP: bottle caps, drinking straws

6. PS: cups, plastic tableware, meat trays, take-away food clamshell containers

7. Others

Recycle? (2) recycling is possible ; various efficiency levels PET: 20% -> other PET, the rest: other kinds of plastic recycling is challenging big molecules that must be very similar to "melt" together colors, additives, other substances disassembling is difficult recyclable! recycled? collecting – many consumers sorting – many kinds of plastic

recycling is possible ; various efficiency levels

PET: 20% -> other PET, the rest: other kinds of plastic

recycling is challenging

big molecules that must be very similar to "melt" together

colors, additives, other substances

disassembling is difficult

recyclable! recycled?

collecting – many consumers

sorting – many kinds of plastic

Recycle? (3) Developed countries law s that force/ reward collecting & recycling return price for PET's , cost for plastic bags infrastructure of collecting points supermarkets cannot offer plastic bags history in education for reuse & recycling being “ green ” becomes fashionable for companies Countries under development the environment is not a priority no infrastructure / laws short-term cost matters for people commodity preferred over long term effects

Developed countries

law s that force/ reward collecting & recycling

return price for PET's , cost for plastic bags

infrastructure of collecting points

supermarkets cannot offer plastic bags

history in education for reuse & recycling

being “ green ” becomes fashionable for companies

Countries under development

the environment is not a priority

no infrastructure / laws

short-term cost matters for people

commodity preferred over long term effects

Plastic waste – landfill argued to be not harmful “ it does not free any toxic substances” it is not biodegradable imagine: 20 million plastic bags used in Australia everyday harmful to ecosystems dead animals long-term effects on oceans - still unknown

argued to be not harmful

“ it does not free any toxic substances”

it is not biodegradable

imagine: 20 million plastic bags used in Australia everyday

harmful to ecosystems

dead animals

long-term effects on oceans - still unknown

The future Ongoing research for other materials with the same properties Recycling, reuse Plastic’s cost depend s on petrol out of petrol would mean out of plastic

Ongoing research for other materials with the same properties

Recycling, reuse

Plastic’s cost depend s on petrol

out of petrol would mean out of plastic

Conclusion Enormous quantities of plastic are produced and used It is convenient (use and throw away) Although some plastics are recyclable, not enough is recycled Laws, economical measures and education help

Enormous quantities of plastic are produced and used

It is convenient (use and throw away)

Although some plastics are recyclable, not enough is recycled

Laws, economical measures and education help

Thank you!