Where does used plastic go?
Plastics have shaped our society – Literally. The term “Plastic” refers to material easily shaped or molded. Plastics are everywhere in our world hiding in our comforts and efficiency. Think about this the next time you are enjoying a tea while on your couch with maybe a warm blanket on your legs. Most likely the only thing not plastic in this scene are the tea leaves.
Plastics offer convenience, economy, efficiency, and innovation to create new shapes, uses and performance. The evolution of packaging to contain, display and ensure freshness. The evolving performance of apparel for sports, leisure, workwear, and all moments in between. The global consumer goods and automotive industries are dominated by plastics which has created affordability and access to a global marketplace for consumers of all income levels, and ultimately have increased our collective standard of living.
In safety and hygiene in our health care, bioscience and food manufacturing industries plastics are an integral medium enabling companies, scientists and healthcare providers to ensure humans are safe from foodborne illness and bacterial infection.
At Container Pros, we are huge proponents of plastic containers when used in returnable container applications. Plastic containers in supply chain transportation, warehousing and distribution activities outperform wood and cardboard by a country mile from an environmental conservation perspective. Specifically, the energy reduction inherent in returnable containers systems and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from repulping old cardboard and harvesting lumber for pallets.
Our lives have been shaped by plastics; however, the other side of the coin of prosperity and utility is pollution. More and more each day we are learning how plastics will poison our health by poisoning our watersheds and all biota that exist through the permeation of micro plastics. Plastics have proven to be a persistent material that does not degrade wholly into basic elements when abandoned from our custody.
Plastics degrade when abandoned in nature. Sunlight, wind, water, temperature variations and friction cause plastics to fragment into microplastic particles. These particles, microscopic in size enter our food and water supply and into the tissues of plant and animals undetected. In our day-to-day lives, releasing microplastics is as easy as putting your clothing in the washing machine or placing your tea bag or muffin wrapper in your weekly compost collection.
We have seen the horrors of ocean plastics and witnessed the war on plastic straws; however, plastics when recovered offer economic opportunities. Supply chains when oriented to recover recyclable materials and returnable containers, feed a circular economy where people and the environment can benefit by the value these materials create.
At Container Pros, we work directly with Tru North Decking on premises to supply plastics from our recycling services, which include end of life containers, polyethylene liner bags, and stretch wrap. We demonstrate tangibly a circular economy in action and in real time!
We see the value in used plastics and a responsibility to be on the right side of history. We help our customers strive to reduce, reuse and recycle with the ability to efficiently ship plastic recycling alongside other recyclable materials in our returnable container programs. In our reverse logistics services, we always provide detailed reports allowing customers to boast their recycling efforts to their stakeholders and partners while knowing they are managing their operations environmentally sound and efficient manner.
Looking to up your game? You found the right partner.
- Do more for the environment and the bottom line through our Reverse Logistics programs
- Maximize time and space by combining recycling with returnable containers on the same truck
- Count on Container Pros to manage your container assets and your commitment to sustainability
Container Pros – The Future is Now!
