Plastic is a popular material that you see everywhere and on almost everything. In fact Americans use about two and a half million plastic bottles every hour of the day and about 600 billion pounds of plastics is made each year for the industry. This makes the plastics industry the third largest manufacturing industry, understandably so. Considering all the plastics that we use for our beverages, our food products, our household products and even custom made bottles that are plastic, knowledge is always good. Read below for some interesting facts about plastic that you may not know.
Bacteria Resistant
Plastic is incredibly resistant to bacteria. Fungi also does not penetrate plastics. Thus making plastic bottles an ideal choice for beverage containers. The material’s closely interconnected molecules makes it virtually impossible for these things to penetrate. That doesn’t mean, however that they are bacteria free. Scratches and etches allow places for bacteria to grow, and warm places allow them to multiply. Always thoroughly clean your reusable plastic water bottle to remove any bacteria or fungi.
Not all Plastics are the Same
There are numbers on the bottom of plastic bottles, including custom made bottles. These numbers represent a few things about the plastic containers. The numbers tell you exactly what the plastic container is made of. Whether it is one type of plastic or multiple types. They also tell you whether recycling companies take that type of plastic. Always check the numbers on the bottom to make sure your plastic containers including water bottles can be recycled.
Popularity
Plastic containers are the most popular choice for a variety of things, including bottled drinks. Consumer response to plastics is a big reason for this. When consumers speak manufacturers and companies listen, and consumers have made it clear that their first choice is plastic. One of the reasons that plastic are popular for beverages is the availability to drink some now and come back for more later. Compared with cans, which must be drank once opened, bottles last longer and consumers don’t feel the need to drink all of the contents at once.
Recycling
Plastics have an incredibly high recycling value compared with other materials. Many plastic containers hold their value well, so they are readily accepted at most recycling places. Certain plastics hold their value well enough that they are closely behind aluminum in the recycling process.
Economics
Plastics make sense economically for a number of reasons. Metal of course is the most preferred material to make things with, but for transportation purposes plastics come in closely behind metals. Metal, however is a costly material while plastics offer minimal materials combined with lower weight and easier transportation. This economically makes sense for everyone.
Whether its custom made bottles, or beverage bottles, you can be sure plastic played a part in it. Plastic is important for consumers in the world, and it is easily recyclable, however not all of it is recycled. Remember that the next time you are using a plastic bottle of some sort. Before you throw it out, rinse it out and recycle it. Keeping plastics out of our landfills helps everyone.