Less is more.
Plastic waste in the U.S. has increased from less than 1% of the solid waste 'stream' in 1960 to around 12% today. Despite the best efforts to collect and recycle plastic, only 5 or 6% of plastic solid waste each year is diverted from landfills and recycled. But that's not all. Since nearly all plastics are derived from petroleum-based sources, the production of plastic is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Clearly, the use of less petroleum-based plastic is good for the environment – but what's the alternative, for example, in packaging applications where the characteristics of plastic are considered desirable?
Increasingly, J.L. Clark will be offering customers plastic containers made from advanced new biodegradable resins that are as compostable and biodegradable as paper, grass clippings or food scraps. Manufacturers of biodegradable resins are increasing capacity, and driving down the cost, of these products, in recognition of the drive by packaging manufacturers to offer consumers a viable, economic, and environmentally-friendly alternative to the traditional petroleum-based products. In fact, the use of biodegradable plastic packaging is expected to grow faster than any other packaging material from now through the next decade.
CLARCOR Water Resources
| Plastic: | Plastic & Metal: | ||||||||
|
|
||||||||