Plastics & it’s impact

Md. Arifur Rahman HeraSr. Executive-R&D,

BFBIL

The word plastic is derived from the Greek (plastikos) meaning capable of being shaped or molded.

Plastics are a range of synthetic or semi-synthetic polymerization products that can be molded into a permanent object having the property of plasticity.

Plastic is a long chain like molecules(Polymars) made from petroleum capable being molded, extruded or cast into various shapes.

The first plastic was invented in 1862 by Alexander Parkes.

At first plastics could only be made in brown or black (Bakelite) color.

In 1930’s “Amino plastics' "had been invented which could be made in lots of bright color.

About plastics….

A plastic bottle is a rigid or semi-rigid container composed of plastic, having a comparatively narrow neck or mouth but without any handle. There is an opening on the top of the bottle which is fastened by a cap.

Plastic bottles are primarily used for storing liquids like water, milk, cooking oil, medicine, and soft drinks.

Plastic soda bottles first arrived in the market in the beginning of the 1970s, almost 200 years later than the discovery of plastic.

In the past, plastics were derived from nature. It was not until the 1900s that the production of purely synthetic plastic has begun.

Plastic Bottles

About 100 million tones of plastic is produced each year.

Properties of Plastics

Resistant Durable Insulator Inexpensi

veEasy to produce

• Plastics are strong, light weight, flexible and durable.• Plastics show superior optical properties(clarity, gloss and color).• Plastics can be easily molded into a variety of shapes and sizes.• Plastics have excellent mechanical strength (tensile properties,

tear resistance impact resistance).

TYPES OF PLASTIC PRODUCTS

PLASTIC WATER POT PLASTIC CONTAINERS PLASTIC TIFFIN BOX PLASTIC BAGS PLASTIC FURNITURE PLASTIC SHEETS PLASTIC FITTINGS PLASTIC TOYS PLASTIC BUCKETS PLASTIC SANITARYWARE PLASTIC STATIONERY

Agriculture7%

Transport8%

Furniture/Houseware8%

Electrical and Electronics8%

Building and Construction23%

Packaging35%

Footwear1%

Medical2%

Mechanical Engineering2%

Toys/Sports3%

Other3%

Percentage of Plastic used in different fields

Plastics > Statistics

Classification

80% of the plastics produced are thermoplastics and of these Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Polystyrene and Polyvinylchoride (PVC) are most commonly used

(70%)

Thermoplastic

Thermosetting

• Plastics that do not undergo chemical change in their composition when

heated and can be molded again and again.

• Thermosets are permanently "set" once they're initially formed and can't be

melted.

Reaction On Heating

Uses includes plastic wrap, food

containers, lighting panels,

garden hoses, and the plastic bag.

Thermoplastic

Uses includes kitchen tools,

glues, varnishes, electronic

components (circuit boards).

Thermoset

Categories of Plastics

Type Expansion Uses

#7 OTHER

#3 PVC

#4 LDPE

#5 PP

#6 PS

Polyethylene terephthalate

High-density polyethylene

Polyvinyl chloride

Low-density polyethylene

Polypropylene

Polystyrene

Plastic water bottle, cable warps, polyester fabrics etc.

Bottles for milk and washing-up liquids.

Food trays, bottles for squash, and shampoo etc..

Carrier bags and bin liners etc.

Microwaveable meal trays, food containers, Jar etc.

Pots, trays, boxes , cups, plastic cutlery, packaging , toys etc.

#1 PET

Classification

#2 HDPE

Other some reusable water bottles, baby bottles and some metal can linings.

Plastics those are Food Graded or not Standards for materials used in food applications may be determined by compliance agencies such as Health Canada or

the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or USFDA) where there are no regulations, standards setting organizations such as NSF International and the American National Standards Institute have developed voluntary standards that are widely accepted throughout the world.

Food Grade Material Criteria appropriate for intended use; suitable for the

activity being conducted and the environment in which it is being conducted

non-toxic; surfaces and coatings are free of lead solder, lead, and/or lead-containing alloys or other toxic components likely to contaminate food

non-porous/non-absorbent; to prevent contaminants such as chemical residues, mould spores, etc. being trapped/absorbed/transferred to sap or syrup

smooth; surfaces are free from pitting, cracks, crevices, open seams, holes, corrosion, loose scale, peeling paint, etc.

corrosion resistant in the intended end use environment

Food Grade Material Criteria inert; does not chemically react with,

or leach into maple products, does not react with cleaning chemicals, etc.

durable; able to withstand repeated cleaning and sanitizing without surface degradation

cleanable; does not harbour bacteria or cleaning and/or sanitizing chemicals

non-breakable; will not create a physical hazard

kept in good repair and properly maintained

Plastics those are Food Graded or not

Food Grade Materials Stainless steel (as determined by NSF/ANSI 51, requires a minimum 16% chromium which

includes SAE series 200, 300 or 400 series - 300 series is most commonly used in the food industry)

Plastic recognized as food grade (meets compositional and purity standards, as well as established conditions of use, determined by a compliance agency e.g. Health Canada)

Aluminum (as determined by NSF/ANSI 51, only Alloy Series 1000, 3000, 4000, 5000 and 6000 may be used. Its use is generally limited to sap buckets and 6000 series aluminum filter presses)

Glass (as determined by NSF/ANSI 51, if not subjected to impact by hard objects during use) Filter fabric (meets voluntary national standards established by NSF/ANSI 42 & 53) Reverse Osmosis membrane (meets voluntary national standards established by NSF/ANSI 58) Diatomaceous earth (meets standards determined by a compliance agency e.g. Health Canada) Plastic piping and/or tubing (meets standards of NSF/ANSI 51 for food equipment materials Plastic tubing suitable for potable water (designated as NSF/ANSI 61 or NSF-PW)

Plastics those are Food Graded or not

Non-Food Grade Materials Terneplate (a tin/lead alloy coating with up to 85 percent lead) Lead solder (a tin/lead alloy - may contain up to 60 percent lead) Non-food grade plastic (chemical composition and/or material purity not deemed

acceptable by a compliance agency e.g. Health Canada) Galvanized steel (a pure zinc coating) often associated with lead soldered seams in

older equipment, utensils and valves; standards set by the Manufacturers of Maple Sugaring Equipment do not permit the use of galvanizing on any food contact surface

Painted steel (may contain lead, peeling probable) Brass (a copper/zinc alloy) depending on its composition, may contain small

quantities of antimony, arsenic, phosphorus, manganese, silicon and up to 3.8 percent lead to improve machinability - lead-free brass may be used only for connections and joints.

POLLUTANTS FROM PLASTIC

POLLUTANTS FROM PLASTIC

Plastics Release Pollutants:• Poly brominated di-phenyl ethers (PBDE)• Nonylphenolls• Bisphenol A (BPA)• Phthalates

Plastics Absorb Hydrophobic Pollutants:• Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)• Dichloro Diphenyl Trichloro ethane (DDT)• Dichloro Diphenyl Dichloro ethylene (DDE)

PVC when burned result in emissions of the deadly poisons named dioxin.Dioxins are highly persistent compounds, with the potential to become increasingly concentrated

in living tissues as they move up the food chain. It is often considered to be the man-made compound most toxic to animals.

Pollution due to plastic bottles & containers Bisphenol –A & Phthalates

Food and drinks stored in plastic bottles can contain trace amount of Bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic chemical that interferes with the body’s natural hormonal messaging system.

Repeated re-use of such bottles—which get dinged up through normal wear and tear and while being washed—increases the chance that chemicals will leak out of the tiny cracks and crevices that develop over time.

BPA has been linked to breast and uterine cancer, an increased risk of miscarriage, and decreased testosterone levels.

A tin can that entered the ocean in 1986 is still decomposing in 2006 but a plastic bottle that entered the ocean in 1986 is decomposing in 2436.

Pollution due to plastic bottles & containers Bisphenol –A & Phthalates

These chemicals are both shown to be potent hormone disruptors and are increasingly linked to adverse health effects like cancer, infertility, early puberty, obesity, behavior changes, and reproductive system damages.

A landmark report on BPA published in 2008 by the U.S. National Toxicology Program concluded that there were concerns over BPA’s effects on the brain, behaviour and prostate gland development in foetuses, infants and children.

meaning “one-time use”. So don't reuse single-use plastics. They can break down and release chemicals into your food or beverage when used repeatedly..

A study has for the first time linked a common chemical used in everyday products such as plastic drink containers and baby bottles to health problems, specifically heart disease and diabetes.

Impact on Environment

Plastic is ever-present in our lives because it is convenient and relatively inexpensive.

Its convenience comes from being lightweight and its ability to absorb impact shock without breaking.

Plastics are so versatile in use that their impacts on environment are extremely wide ranging, posing serious challenge for disposal.

Careless disposal of plastic bags chokes drains, blocks the porosity of the soil, and causes problems for groundwater recharge. Due to its non-biodegradable nature, littering of plastics causes irreversible damage to the environment.

Disadvantages of Plastic Products

As many as 100,000 whales, turtles and birds have been reported to die every year, because of plastic in environment.

Plastic not only have adverse effects on our natural habitats, but have also been found to be responsible for the death of many animals, mainly on account of the suffocation encountered on eating them.

When plastic burned in air it releases a host of poisonous chemicals into the air, including dioxin, the most toxic substance known to science.

Plastic when burn in air

1.Dioxins are found throughout the world in the environment and they accumulate in the food chain, mainly in the fatty tissue of animals.

2.Dioxins are highly toxic and can cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, interfere with hormones and also cause cancer.

Some recommendation for using plastics Don't microwave in plastic containers. Cover food in the microwave with a paper towel instead of

plastic wrap. Don't reuse single-use plastics (the number one – PET

plastics). They can break down and release plastics chemicals when used repeatedly.

Do not use old, scratched plastic containers. Exposures to plastics chemicals may be greater when the surface is worn down.

Choose glass or BPA-free baby bottles with a clear silicone nipple.

Avoid plastic to mouth contact, especially for babies and kids.

References:

1. http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/food/inspection/maple/mple-guidance-S1-1-3.htm#1.3.2

2. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2157423/Poisoned-plastic-Chemicals-water-bottles-food-packaging-linked-infertility-birth-defects-Scaremongering-truth.html

3. http://modernsurvivalblog.com/preps/safe-plastics-for-food-and-drink/4. http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/problemswithplastics.htm5. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-chemical-heart-idUSLF18683220080916

6. Google images