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If you must know, thermoplastic is one very common material we use daily. We can identify this as being the commonly used material for our water bottles, nylon stockings and even the PVC pipes used for our homes, as well as the baggie we let our kids take to school to store their lunch in. Thermoplastic packaging actually comes in several different types and to further educate you about them, here are some facts which you will find fun and interesting too.
The first on our trivia list is about the word plastic where though English its roots actually come from the Greek language. "Plastkos" is the Greek root word and it actually means moldable - one that is rather obvious about thermoplastics in that they come easy to mold the moment that heat is applied unto such polymers. The companies whose business is to manufacture things made from thermoplastics utilize thin sheets of plastic which they expose to heat high enough to make it "moldable" into several different products of varying shapes and sizes as well as the different types of thermoplastic packaging.
Some types of plastic are biodegradable, but this doesn't mean quite what you probably think it means. For many of us, the word biodegradable is used interchangeably with compostable, meaning it breaks down naturally and turns into compost. This is not quite true. Biodegradable plastics can be broken down, but only a few types actually compost down the organic substance known as humus. However thermoplastics are highly recyclable, so it is important that you place these items into your recycling bin.
The most common type of plastic is known as polyethylene and this is also a type of thermoplastic. This plastic is used to make millions of products every year including plastic bags and plastic bottles. There are actually several different types of polyethylene, classified by polymer names such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE). This plastic is not compostable and must be recycled in order to limit its environmental impact.
Do you know that all thermoplastics come with designated codes just as both the polyethylene terephthalate and the high-density polyethylene have their corresponding special resin codes as well? For these two, 1 or 2 are their resin codes. They are both generally welcomed to be tossed into recycling bins of most every reuse and recycling companies in the United States. As for other thermoplastics with different resin codes, some cities ensure that they too are accepted, but not all cities allow other plastics into the recycling bin.
Aside from the fact that recycling plastics help reduce landfill waste and supports the protection of marine and land animal habitats, you should know that there are other reasons which make it important. Much less energy is consumed in recycling thermoplastic products and thermoplastic packaging as opposed to the manufacture of plastic items starting from zero. Everyone should know this: that every water bottle you recycle is equals to the amount of energy for powering a 60-watt light bulb for hours - imagine the power of recycling a single bottle!
The first on our trivia list is about the word plastic where though English its roots actually come from the Greek language. "Plastkos" is the Greek root word and it actually means moldable - one that is rather obvious about thermoplastics in that they come easy to mold the moment that heat is applied unto such polymers. The companies whose business is to manufacture things made from thermoplastics utilize thin sheets of plastic which they expose to heat high enough to make it "moldable" into several different products of varying shapes and sizes as well as the different types of thermoplastic packaging.
Some types of plastic are biodegradable, but this doesn't mean quite what you probably think it means. For many of us, the word biodegradable is used interchangeably with compostable, meaning it breaks down naturally and turns into compost. This is not quite true. Biodegradable plastics can be broken down, but only a few types actually compost down the organic substance known as humus. However thermoplastics are highly recyclable, so it is important that you place these items into your recycling bin.
The most common type of plastic is known as polyethylene and this is also a type of thermoplastic. This plastic is used to make millions of products every year including plastic bags and plastic bottles. There are actually several different types of polyethylene, classified by polymer names such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE). This plastic is not compostable and must be recycled in order to limit its environmental impact.
Do you know that all thermoplastics come with designated codes just as both the polyethylene terephthalate and the high-density polyethylene have their corresponding special resin codes as well? For these two, 1 or 2 are their resin codes. They are both generally welcomed to be tossed into recycling bins of most every reuse and recycling companies in the United States. As for other thermoplastics with different resin codes, some cities ensure that they too are accepted, but not all cities allow other plastics into the recycling bin.
Aside from the fact that recycling plastics help reduce landfill waste and supports the protection of marine and land animal habitats, you should know that there are other reasons which make it important. Much less energy is consumed in recycling thermoplastic products and thermoplastic packaging as opposed to the manufacture of plastic items starting from zero. Everyone should know this: that every water bottle you recycle is equals to the amount of energy for powering a 60-watt light bulb for hours - imagine the power of recycling a single bottle!
About the Author:
Lenna Stockwell enjoys writing about how stuff is made. For additional details regarding custom packaging solutions or to find out more about thermoform packaging, please go to the Indepak.com site now.
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