Sustainable Design 2: Backcasting Report on Plastic Packaging

This report delves into the multifaceted issue of plastic packaging, examining its advantages, such as its lightweight and cost-effectiveness, while critically analyzing its detrimental environmental impacts. It highlights the non-biodegradable nature of plastics and the resulting pollution, emphasizing the need for effective waste management solutions. The report explores the processes of reusing and recycling plastics, emphasizing the latter as a superior method due to the industry's global importance. It details the steps involved in plastic recycling, including collection, sorting, shredding, cleaning, melting, and molding. The benefits of recycling, such as creating sustainable raw materials and reducing landfill problems, are discussed. The report concludes by advocating for proper education on disposal and reuse techniques, emphasizing recycling as a win-win solution for the environment and businesses. The report also includes references to academic papers on the subject, and the assignment brief that details the requirements of the report and presentation.

<Institutional Affiliation>
<Plastic Packaging>
by
<Student Name>
<Date>
Student name: pg. 1

The use of plastic has been a debate for quite some time, with both the advantages and
disadvantages of the material being explained quite clearly. The advantages being in regard to its
lightness in weight, cheap and easily available. These plastics can be easily molded into different
products that are later sold to customers. According to Guo (2017), 98% of houses worldwide
have plastic items. This is because it is the most widely used material. However, over recent
years, scientists and environmentalists have come out with evidence of the dangers that the very
same product has brought. With evidence of the inability of plastic to decompose, these groups
have proven that the continuous use of plastic is dangerous to the environment and in the long
run, poses a threat to the existence of human beings. These have been one of the most interesting
talks that have been discussed by world leaders at the United Nations Climate Summits
(Huysman, 2015, pp57).
Over the years, countries have even come up to ban the use of certain plastic material due
to its effects on the environment. To address this issue, there has been numerous suggestions.
However, there are two of them that stand out whenever people are discussing on recycling. That
is reusing and recycling.
Reusing is the process by which an individual makes good use of something they already
have rather than buy the same product. This approach of trying to tame environmental
degradation, is mainly aimed at the final consumers. A country can come up with ways of
ensuring this happens through increasing tax rates on the purchase of these plastic equipment.
This method can be considered as a "long shot" because it does not prevent the purchase of the
same products. The only thing it does is to ensure there is a slight reduction in the number of
plastics that are being bought.
Student name: pg. 2

Recycling is considered as the best method. With the complete banning of the use of
plastics almost close to impossible, due to the importance that the industry carries all over the
world. Plastic recycling refers to the process of recovering used plastics and reprocessing it so as
to come up with another useful product. Once people use plastic equipment, they are dumped
alongside other waste products. Some of the other waste products may decompose due to their
biodegradable nature. However, plastic is non-bio degradable and therefore, they remain the
same for years and years. Luckily there is Recycling, which can come in handy when done right.
In recycling, there is a process that has to be undertaken to ensure that the waste plastics are
properly recycled (Ragaert, Van Geem,2017, pp54).
1) The first step is the collection of the plastics. Since they exist in quite a number of forms,
plastics should be first separated from other waste material. This assists in separating
biodegradable from non-biodegradable.
2) The items are then sorted- sorting is the process by which the different plastic forms are
grouped. Plastics can be grouped into forms such as containers, jars, plastic jars, and
industrial paper. This process is done also by paying attention to the different colors of
the plastics. It is through the same process that the removal of contaminants occurs. This
is usually done with the help of specific sorting machines. This also ensures that different
plastics are used to make different products.
3) The third step is shredding. This is when the plastics are cut into very small pieces. This
process also involves sorting because after the pieces are collected, they are then assessed
and sorted based on their weight. This is also done to ensure different types of plastics are
not used in one material.
Student name: pg. 3

4) The next step is cleaning. This is where detergents are used to clean the tiny plastics. This
is also done to ensure that there are no remaining contaminants in the plastics. After that,
they are dried completely.
5) Once the tiny plastics are dried, the next step is to melt it. The presence of tiny pieces is
beneficial in that, and no much heat will be used to melt the tiny plastics.
6) Once it is in semi-liquid form, the next step is to mold the plastic. This is usually the final
step in the recycling process of plastics.
It is worth mentioning that the recycling of these plastics has a great impact in terms of
advantages. Some of the benefits that come up include the creation of a sustainable source of raw
material. This is brought about by the cycle flow of the use of plastics and reuse of the same
equipment after recycling. This leads to the creation of a sustainable lifestyle for people.
Investors in the industry would also be spending quite less on the purchase of raw material as
they would be able to recycle at ac cheaper rate. This will also reduce landfill problems that are
currently being experienced with the dumping of plastic (Al-Maaded, 2012,pp188).
In conclusion, as much as plastics are essential for our day to day lives, poor disposal of the
same might cause problems to the environment. So as to avoid that proper education of people
on viable disposal options and reusing techniques is key (Vinodh, S., 2014, pp4670). Based on
numerous studies, recycling is one of the best options for this, and when it is encouraged and
practiced, there is a win-win situation that is created for both the environment and the businesses
that produce the same.
Student name: pg. 4

Reference List
Al-Maadi, 2012. An overview of solid waste management and plastic recycling in Qatar. Journal
of Polymers and the Environment, 20(1), pp.186-194.
Vinodh, S., 2014. Integrated Fuzzy AHP–TOPSIS for selecting the best plastic recycling
method: A case study. Applied Mathematical Modelling, 38(19-20), pp.4662-4672.
Ragaert, . and Van Geem, K., 2017. Mechanical and chemical recycling of solid plastic
waste. Waste Management, 69, pp.24-58.
Huysman, S., 2015. The recyclability benefit rate of closed-loop and open-loop systems: A case
study on plastic recycling in Flanders. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 101, pp.53-
60.
Guo, J.,., 2017. From waste plastics to industrial raw materials: A life cycle assessment of
mechanical plastic recycling practice based on a real-world case study. Science of the total
environment, 601, pp.1192-1207.
Student name: pg. 5