“A packaging quandary: Plastic may have less environmental impact than alternatives”

From Anthropocene Magazine: “A packaging quandary: Plastic may have less environmental impact than alternatives

Plastic is lightweight and uses relatively little material, so in the big picture it crushes the competition

Plastic packaging can have substantially smaller environmental impacts—including 70% lower greenhouse gas emissions—compared to other packaging materials, according to a new study.

The findings suggest that although there are major concerns about the short use span of single-use plastics and the consequences of improper disposal, in the big picture the strain they cause on the planet may be less than that of reasonable alternatives.

In the new study, researchers performed a life cycle analysis to compare the environmental impact of packaging made from polyethylene (PE) plastic to containers made from paper, glass, aluminum, and steel. Using standard life-cycle analysis software, they tracked the impacts from obtaining raw materials to manufacturing, transportation, distribution, and disposal.”

Read their findings

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