Plastics in Packing

Under the current circumstance of the world economic downturn, the use of plastic products in packaging industry has maintained an annual growth rate of over 10%. For instance, in 2012 a country as China reached it self more than1.5 trillion RMB in the packaging industry as the gross output. It is also worth noting that food industry and food technology have also maintained a rapid global growth with different new materials, new technologies, and new products emerging every day.This book has been prepared to explore the relevance of three major themes: plastics, packaging industry, and the environmental threats posed by plastic materials. Being relevanta technical understanding for the packaging industry. It is vital a technical understanding of all the protection requirements of goods and at the same time, it is important to ensure that plastics do not break with a safe environment.The growing economy, the rapidly growing consumption rates, and the production patterns of various commodities have resulted into rapid growth in the generation of plastic waste materials in the world. Statistically, the total world consumption of plastic in packaging industry has gone up from 5 million tons in 1950s to about 100 million tons currently. This translates to about 20 times more plastic production after more than 50 years. This means that, on one hand more resources are being used in order to meet the current demand of plastic materials in the packaging industry, but on the other hand more plastic materials are being pumped into the environment as waste. Plastic waste materials are the second most municipal solid wastes after food waste materials. Even the smallest cities in the world are facing the problem of plastic waste materials due to the increased use of plastic products in the packaging of goods. The purpose of this book is to offer important insights and reference different aspects of plastic in packaging industry to those involved. This book has been prepared to incorporate all the relevant information that can be used by students that are taking courses in different fields (such as plastics process manufacturing, production and packaging management, environmental planning and management, urban and regional planning among others), teachers, environmental management staffs, and even various governmental staffs involved in environmental management sectors. This book comprises ten chapters. Chapter one introduces various aspects in plastics in food packaging. This includes things such as identifying various types of plastic used in packaging industry, brief introduction of various issues of plastic products in packaging industry, how plastic usage in packaging industry has being trending, and a brief understanding on the policy instruments that can be used to regulate and management plastic products in the society among other things. Chapter two analyses the use of plastic packaging materials in the food industry. Chapter three discusses on production of packaging plastic products. Chapter four explains the situation of plastic waste materials in the environment, particularly on marine ecosystem. Some of the key sub-topics discussed under this chapter include characteristics of plastic debris found in marine water bodies, how those debris enter into marine waters, how they affect the marine ecosystem, and solutions to these plastic debris in marine ecosystems. Chapter five deal with various challenges of plastic packaging materials on the dry land. Some of the key sub-topics discussed under this chapter include generation of plastic waste, causes for plastic waste, and management of plastic waste materials.Chapter six explores key challenges of plastic materials on human health. Chapter seven explores key actors (both formal and informal) in the management of plastic waste materials used in packaging industry. Chapter eight discusses on key challenges and opportunities on reusing and recycling plastic waste materials used in packaging sector. Chapter nine discusses on sustainable plastic waste management through energy recovery technology. Chapter ten explores on legal framework with regards to plastic waste management. Some of key sub-topics discussed under this chapter include environmental laws on plastic waste pollution, current state of the environment in the world with regards to plastic waste pollution, and implementation of various laws and policies used to reduce plastic consumption