In this modern world, plastic be the most used material for packaging in almost every industry. The word ‘plastic’ comes from the Greek plastikos which means easily shaped (Robertson, 2013). Plastic is the combination of many molecules that linked together as one long chain which made from polymers: poly (Greek) means many and meros (Greek) means part (Robertson, 2013). Raw materials of plastic are called feedstock which come from natural and synthetic resources, such as crude oil, natural gas, coal, cellulose, starch and proteins (Singh, Saengerlaub, Wani and Longowski, 2012). Feedstock usually available in solid form with different color and shape. Moreover, there are some common types of plastic which usually used in industry, for instance,
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According to Lee, Yam and Piergiovanni (2008), there are three benefits of using plastic as packaging material: variety, versatility and efficiency. First, variety means that plastic can be formed to many shapes depend on necessity and market interest. People are usually buy a product with unique packaging shape without knowing the content. Next is versatility which means the strength of plastic to be used in any conditions such as water resistant, microwavable and non-breakable. On the other hand, because it is hard to be damaged, there is a limitation of plastic which hard to be composed by soil. It needs a long period of time to be fully composed and change back to oil. Moreover, companies and manufactures using plastic as their product packaging because of its efficiency. Plastic is high-speed manufacture and it can be produce in huge volume per weight of material used (Lee, Yam and Piergiovanni, 2008). Furthermore, utilization of plastics as packaging material is because they are lightweight and some of them are permeable to vapors and chemical substances (Kirwan, Plant and Strawbridge, …show more content…
Foods which are inside the package always in direct contact with the packaging materials. Kirwan, Plant and Strawbridge (2011) believe that there is the interaction between food and its packaging where the component of the packaging can be absorbed and react with food. In addition, the chemical from environment around the packaged food can also absorbed by the packaging to the food (Robertson, 2013). Some plastics contain hazardous substances which can cause cancer and it is dangerous for long term consumption. Food also can changes in flavor for directly in contact with its plastic packaging. The flavor can be lost because the organic compunds are absorbed into the packaging material (Kirwan, Plant and Strawbridge, 2013). Food deterioration can occur when foods inside packaging material do not have enough space and the condition is very humid. Mold and bacteria can grow easily which cause the foods decayed.
In conclusion, plastic packaging should not be banned. Although plastic has some limitation in human and environment health, but it still become the most superior material which still used almost in every industry. Plastic has its own benefits than other packaging materials such as some physical benefits, special characteristic, can be reprocessed and replaced by bioplastic. Some alternative ways can be done to improve the quality of plastic for becoming more acceptable as
According to Lee, Yam and Piergiovanni (2008), there are three benefits of using plastic as packaging material: variety, versatility and efficiency. First, variety means that plastic can be formed to many shapes depend on necessity and market interest. People are usually buy a product with unique packaging shape without knowing the content. Next is versatility which means the strength of plastic to be used in any conditions such as water resistant, microwavable and non-breakable. On the other hand, because it is hard to be damaged, there is a limitation of plastic which hard to be composed by soil. It needs a long period of time to be fully composed and change back to oil. Moreover, companies and manufactures using plastic as their product packaging because of its efficiency. Plastic is high-speed manufacture and it can be produce in huge volume per weight of material used (Lee, Yam and Piergiovanni, 2008). Furthermore, utilization of plastics as packaging material is because they are lightweight and some of them are permeable to vapors and chemical substances (Kirwan, Plant and Strawbridge, …show more content…
Foods which are inside the package always in direct contact with the packaging materials. Kirwan, Plant and Strawbridge (2011) believe that there is the interaction between food and its packaging where the component of the packaging can be absorbed and react with food. In addition, the chemical from environment around the packaged food can also absorbed by the packaging to the food (Robertson, 2013). Some plastics contain hazardous substances which can cause cancer and it is dangerous for long term consumption. Food also can changes in flavor for directly in contact with its plastic packaging. The flavor can be lost because the organic compunds are absorbed into the packaging material (Kirwan, Plant and Strawbridge, 2013). Food deterioration can occur when foods inside packaging material do not have enough space and the condition is very humid. Mold and bacteria can grow easily which cause the foods decayed.
In conclusion, plastic packaging should not be banned. Although plastic has some limitation in human and environment health, but it still become the most superior material which still used almost in every industry. Plastic has its own benefits than other packaging materials such as some physical benefits, special characteristic, can be reprocessed and replaced by bioplastic. Some alternative ways can be done to improve the quality of plastic for becoming more acceptable as