Thread: Alternative for Plastic!!

Plastics is one of the widely used material in the modern world. Almost all the items that we use today are made up of plastics. It is also a major contributor to environmental pollution.
Which is the best material that can replace plastics?

Ethan
www.greenilo.com
Ideas for Green Earth

I don't think there is a material thats like plastic at least not yet.

There are some improved types of plastic, such as the organic plastics. Take a look at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioplastic

the plastic HAS to be biodegradable or it doesn't matter if it is made out of organic materials.

Originally Posted by ethan_2005

Plastics is one of the widely used material in the modern world. Almost all the items that we use today are made up of plastics. It is also a major contributor to environmental pollution.
Which is the best material that can replace plastics?

I'm likely paper and cardboard. They should make grocery bags out of paper. And disposable cups... paper. Maybe they can even put little fold-out handles on them so you don't burn your fingers. And for fun, print a few playing cards on the side with a "hole" card on the bottom so you can gamble among friends at the coffee pot on break.

Originally Posted by Taquion

There are some improved types of plastic, such as the organic plastics.

I have never heard of a non-organic plastic.

Teflon ,and silicones are two

there isn't one

sorry but a substance just doesn't exist, plastic is a verticle super-material. it can posses nearly any physical property, kinda the pik'n'mix of the material world. Paper dissolves in rain, Card burns, Wood rots, Metal isn't soft, Glass is brittle, and Stone is..well...rock hard



However there have been improvements on plastic, there are organic plastics, biodegradeable plastics

and my favorite is Remouldable plastics, the ultimate recyclable plastic, it can literally be melted down and remade without releasing toxins. the only problem (I think) is trying to find a method of making and remaking it that can't accidentally happen outside the factory (i.e I belive the original version melted at 100 degrees so became very soft in warm weather. Very bad for chairs and car parts huh?)

Originally Posted by fizzlooney

Teflon ,and silicones are two

Teflon an silicone both have lots of carbon in them.

there are many kinds of bacteria that will eat many kinds of plastic - just the ones that eat it quickly don't always hang around.......they should though - we are giving them food! :P

[quote="Booms"]
Paper dissolves in rain, Card burns, Wood rots, Metal isn't soft, Glass is brittle, and Stone is..well...rock hard
quote]

isn't stone largely (if not entirely) a collection of metals?

This is idiotic-all materials have there function. why not replace metals?
our society would not function as it does without plasics
what makes you think they need replacing anyway?

They don't need replacing in terms of usefulness, but looking at it from an environmental angle, if they don't get recycled, they take a very long time to break down and take up a lot of space in landfills. It would be great to find something with the same properties as plastic but that would decompose much more quickly.

Originally Posted by fizzlooney

This is idiotic-...

"idiotic?" Really? Is this the most intelligent and civil choice of words you can use to voice your disagreement?

Please play nice in the sand box or you won't get to play.

it also comes down to cost - plastics are well established and researched whereas alternatives might not currently enjoy such a position...............

well then we might as well not look into hydrogen batteries and green energy because they aren't economicly stable adn you wouldn't want to spend money to save a planet(remember you live on that planet).

Originally Posted by Topalk

well then we might as well not look into hydrogen batteries and green energy because they aren't economicly stable adn you wouldn't want to spend money to save a planet(remember you live on that planet).

be careful with the term 'save the planet' - in terms of plastics consumption and disposal yes we can help the world but we cannot stop the moon from drifting away which will change our weather every year................

the technology is advancing, the companies that started on standard plastics are investing in R n D (especially with an increase in political will) and alternatives will and are coming to the table...............

I don't think you are in a position to lecture others before you start to learn more about basic human survival, greed and ignorance......................how old are you....13?

get a job first and learn something of basic economics and time schedules in the work place and you will see how the world turns.........

Here is the type of plastics and its toxicity level.

#3 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Commonly contains di-2-ehtylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), an endocrine disruptor and probable human carcinogen, as a softener.
#6 Polystyrene (PS) May leach styrene, a possible endocrine disruptor and human carcinogen, into water and food.
#7 Polycarbonate Contains the hormone disruptor bisphenol-A, which can leach out as bottles age, are heated or exposed to acidic solutions.


Most of this are used as bottles, irrespective of their toxicity

Ethan
www.greenilo.com
Ideas for Green Earth