Many industries don’t get the credit and acknowledgment they deserve. The average person might not think about packaging very often — or if they do, it’s because they’re trying to open one of those impossible plastic clamshells — but the packaging industry is important for numerous reasons. Here’s why you should give those humble plastic and paper containers a little more recognition.
Innovations Within the Field of Plastic Science
The packaging industry has evolved by leaps and bounds over the last few years. Not only does this industry help contain and protect all kinds of products, it actually protects the environment with all the waste it is not using. Although the average consumer may not realize it, there have been a number of innovations within the field of plastic science. Packaging experts state that for every pound of plastic packaging used, food waste is reduced by 1.7 pounds. That’s a huge number! Don’t believe it? Consider this: in the 1970s, 2-liter plastic drink bottles weighed 68 grams and now — after a 31% plastic reduction per bottle — they weigh only 47 grams. That translates to a savings of more than 180 million pounds of packaging in 2006 for just those 2-liter bottles.
Consumers’ Awareness of Recycling Efforts
Another big change in the packaging industry is consumers’ awareness of recycling efforts. Many people actually take packaging into consideration when they are thinking about bettering the environment. Wholly 52% of global consumers say they make their purchasing decisions based on whether or not that packaging features a brand that makes a positive social and environmental impact on the world.
Proper Packaging Can Make or Break Our Safety and Health
Packaging equipment is crucial, when it comes to food and beverages, because it can make or break our safety and health. Every year, 48 million Americans are sick, 138,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die due to foodborne diseases. Without high quality food sealing machines, many of our foods would perhaps be incorrectly sealed and packaged, leading to even more disease and illnesses. Not only that, but food sealing machines use vacuum pouches to preserve food three to five times longer than other containers.
If you want to learn more about the packaging industry, including thermoform packaging, shrink sleeves, stock clamshell packaging or any other method, contact TDI Packsys today!
