Over the years, the plastic product manufacturing industry has been prime topic of conversation worldwide. Social media displays pictures on a weekly basis of beaching and oceans full of discarded plastic cups and bottles and the impact they are having on the environment. However, there is still a need for plastic products throughout the globe. That’s where UK plastic product manufacturers such as ourselves come in – striving to produce eco friendly products using an environmentally friendly process.
In this article we will discuss the dangers of single use plastics and how multi use plastics are the best choice for plastic product manufacturing.
The UK’s Environmental Plan
The UK Government have set goals to improve our environmental record. The 25 Year Environment Plan sets out to safeguard endangered species, offer better habitats for wildlife, and deliver cleaner air and water in our cities and rural areas.
Current published and widely available figures from the BPF (British Plastics Federation) claim that “Recycling rates in the UK have come a long way in recent years and continue to grow year on year. For example, in the year 2000 only 13,000 tonnes of plastic bottles were recycled; the UK now collected for recycling 390,000 tonnes of plastic bottles a year”.
Almost all types of plastic can be recycled and re-used in a variety of different sectors and applications. However, it depends on many factors. For instance, it can depend on economic and logistical factors as well as technical issues and obviously financial factors and constraints.
Within plastics used in everyday life there are two main types seen – single use and multi / continual use.
The Dangers of Single Use Plastics
Single use plastics are those which are causing most concern and indeed damage to the environment. Things such as carrier bags, plastic bottles, drinks cups – throwaway items. Once they have been used and served their purpose, they are no longer able to be repurposed of recycled. Broadly speaking you would class these items as packaging items.
Most councils offer recycling options for these. Whether it be your weekly / bi-weekly home collections of such items, or when you are out and about. Different waste bins are seen with options to separate types of waste – plastic bottles into one bin, cans into another and so on. Therefore, this helps keep waste out of the environment, and in doing so protecting our wildlife.
Since the government introduced a 5p levy charge on plastic bags in 2015 (which then doubled to 10p in 2021), statistics show that the purchase of single use of carrier bags within the UK decreased by 95% in major supermarkets. You will also have seen in many of the high street coffee shop incentives, to either bring your own cup or have a reusable cup. All of which are aimed at further reducing waste and impact on the environment.
Multi Use Plastics
The manufacture of multi-use plastic products is what we do here at Moldwel. These are products that are found and used regularly in every day life. Such as, car parts, televisions, light fittings to name but a few – these are all designed and manufactured to last many many years.
Eco Friendly Plastic Product Manufacturers in the UK
Most of these items are made out of plastic that can be recycled and re-used over. Again lessoning the impact on the environment. As product manufacturers in the UK who endeavour to be eco friendly throughout our process, we use plastics that are derived from natural, organic products, such as coal and crude oil. Crude oil is a complex mixture of thousands of different compounds. To become useable and workable it has to be processed down. So, the use of recycled plastic avoids depleting any further the natural assets of the planet. This then gives us a sustainable and renewable source for new materials and therefore reduces the impact on the environment.
The government has over the past couple of years introduced a number of heavily incentivised schemes to promote and encourages recycling and re-use of “multi-use” plastics. The most common one which received the most publicity is in relation to End of Life Vehicles.
Overview of Regulations: end-of-life vehicles (ELVs)
“Vehicles are regulated to limit the environmental impact of their disposal, by reducing the amount of waste created when they are scrapped. This is done through various measures to encourage the recovery, reuse and recycling of metals, plastics and rubber.”
As a result, more and more recycled plastics are being used in the manufacture of multi-use plastics.
There is clearly an issue with waste plastics having a negative impact upon the environment. However, within the industry itself we are all working hard to reduce this. We are utilising new, more efficient methods of manufacturing plastic products, using where ever possible recycled materials and reducing scrap and waste.
Call Moldwel Products Ltd Today For More Information
If you would like any more information about the types of multi use plastics we manufacture with or any other information about our plastic injection moulding services please do not hesitate to contact us. Give us a call on 01922 631252 or read more about us here on our website.
If you enjoyed reading this article you may also like to read a previous post: Blow Moulding Plastic Vs. Injection Moulding