Source: A packaging quandary: Plastic may have less impact than alternatives
The research was funded by the petroleum giant ExxonMobil, and the research team includes several scientists employed by the company. (Most plastics are made from petroleum.) Yet the findings are in line with other studies that suggest that lightweight, durable plastics enable cheaper, more fuel-efficient transport of products across long distances and protect food and other good from spoilage, minimizing waste.
The researchers investigated the five main packaging types made from PE: collation shrink films, which hold together individual items sold as a set, such as a 6-pack of bottled water; stretch films for wrapping pallets; heavy duty sacks such as for cement or pet kibble; non-food bottles such as for shampoo; and flexible food pouches such as for beverages or spices. In all they evaluated 32 plastic and non-plastic products and made 19 comparisons of plastic to non-plastic packaging.
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