Glass Vs. Plastic Containers

Plastic containers are becoming more popular as glass ones are used less and less. Deciding which ones are better for the environment is not a simple issue, because a lot of factors have to be considered.

History

• More and more products that used to come in glass containers or tin cans now come in plastic bottles or jars. And products that used to come in paper or cardboard cartons, such as powdered laundry detergent or dishwasher soap, now come as liquid in plastic containers. In addition, more and more single-serving sized containers are sold than ever before. The result of all of this is that we have many more plastic containers being used each day than we did 50 years ago.

Types

• Plastic comes in many types. Seven of them have special numbers and are labeled so they can be identified for recycling. Six of these are generally recycled in many locations, but it is common to find a local recycling center that doesn't accept all six. And, if you mix in even one container of the wrong type, it can ruin the whole batch if it makes it all the way to the place where they are melted down. Glass also comes in several kinds, but only a few of these are used in containers. Window glass is not the same as container glass and can't be recycled, but it is also not routinely thrown out. The glass from light bulbs can't be recycled either. But container glass that is clear, amber or green colored are all recyclable.

Benefits

• Making glass containers out of recycled glass uses 35 percent less energy than making glass the old-fashioned way. But it can be troublesome to make sure the recycled glass doesn't contain any rocks or other foreign matter that will ruin the finished product. The benefits of plastic containers over glass is that they weigh less and are less breakable. Recycling is even more important with plastic because plastic is made from oil, which is non-renewable. It is better to use old plastic to make new plastic containers than to bury it in a landfill. But plastic can't be recycled forever; eventually it will result in a brittle product if it is recycled too many times. Glass has the benefit of being able to be recycled over and over without losing quality in the finished product.

Considerations

• Here are some statistics to consider from the Museum of Solid Waste and Energy: 36 percent of the plastic made is recycled, compared to only 22 percent of glass containers. Plastic takes up one-fourth of all of the garbage being added to landfills, while glass is only 2 percent, when measured by volume. Recycling of glass peaked in 1995, and the percentage of glass recycled each year has been declining since then while plastic recycling is growing. For both plastic and glass, making containers from recycled product uses less energy than making it from scratch, though that doesn't factor in the energy needed to recycle the products.

Solution

• Containers are a dilemma because they are hard to re-use. Health issues prohibit re-using them for food products and practicality often prohibits re-using them for other products. One long-term solution would be to encourage companies to sell more products in bulk and convincing consumers to accept this and bring their own containers to the store to refill. Another option is to engineer paper containers that are strong but still recyclable or to work on plastic that is thinner yet still strong and stable. Both plastic and glass containers currently have lids and tops that are not recyclable, and this has to change, too.