Plastic – the wonder material

Last Updated on November 18, 2019

Plastic is a polymer material widely used today. It has a wide range of uses and relative applications, resulting from the combination of different polymers and monomers. It is a reliable material that is reusable, cheap, and durable. Because of its high durability, flexibility, and being produced at lower cost, it is preferred for use by common people and so many industry sectors for different commercial applications.

The reasons why plastic is superior are too numerous to count. It is a versatile material catering to many needs. Despite all the bans and environmental pollution, there is still a large demand for plastic materials in our day-to-day life. It makes our living much easier and more accessible. Commonly, most of the plastics we use are for packaging. Because of its water-resistant properties and not easily breakable nature, it suits to the packaging needs of different industrial sectors.

Plastic is found in nature as well as it is man-made. One of the natural plastic material is rubber that contains carbon molecules. The first man-made plastic was invented in 1907 by Alexander Parkes based on a synthetic polymer called Parkensine. There are also several instances of ancient Egyptians using plastic like materials.

Today, plastics is ruling the world as a wonder material. There are thousands of uses for plastic. Anything from kitchen tools to bathroom tools and toys to medical devices are made from plastic. It has become the material of choice for many uses. The durability, strength and moldability of plastic has gained attention from different industries for their products. However, the indestructible nature of plastics has made it a huge problem for the environment, increasing the waste pollution and damaging the ecosystem.

As a result, bioplastics are introduced by producing plastic from natural, renewable sources such as corn starch and vegetable oils.  These bioplastics are not as harmful as synthetic plastics and some of the bioplastics are also biodegradable, making it more eco-friendly.

It is important that we continue learning new ways to recycle and reuse plastic material to save the environment and manage plastic waste more responsibly. Despite all the environmental sensitivity, the benefits of plastic as a wonder material is undeniable.