Imagine A Day Without Plastic

There will be no computer components, mobile phones, laptops, electrical and communications cabling, water pipes, drainage systems, crop protection, damp-proof membranes and the thousands of plastic engineering components which ensure our cars, lorries and aircraft are safer and lighter thereby saving fuel and reducing exhaust emissions. From life-saving devices such as blood bags, heart valves and hip joints to the packaging which protects manufactured goods from damage and the preservation of our food – saving on waste and helping keep retail prices down.

The modern day consumer insists on better quality food and far greater value for money and this is achieved with our ability to pack and preserve. In the 1930’s, the average meal took 2 ½ hours to prepare – today it can take fifteen minutes. In the 1960’s, food accounted for 26% of household expenditure, today it has fallen to around 15%.

Packaging our food actually saves resources as it helps to prevent food wastage. According to the World Health Organisation, in the less-developed world, which has not yet utilised modern packaging and distribution systems more than 50% of all food is wasted from the time it’s harvested to when it reaches the table. This compares with just 3% in the developed world.

Plastic food packaging has been very much misunderstood as an example of a waste of resources. However, an example to dispel this misconception is the shelf-life of a shrink-wrapped cucumber which is extended from 3 to 10 days.

The same concept applies to extending the shelf life of fresh meat (more than doubled) through the use of sophisticated plastics.

Plastics play an undeniable and essential role within each and every day of our modern lives.