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NEWS (HTTPS://TIMESOFINDIA.INDIATIMES.COM/) / Understanding PET Bottles & How It Is Better Than…

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THIS STORY IS FROM DECEMBER 30, 2019

Understanding PET bottles & how it is better

than glass, metal or aluminium containers
Anirban Halder
(Https://Timesofindia.Indiatimes.Com/Toireporter/Author- FOLLOW (/articleshowprint/72975428.cms)
Anirban-Halder-479252507.Cms) / SPOTLIGHT / Dec 30,
200 PTS
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SHARE AA
(HTTPS://NEWS.GOOGLE.COM/PUBLICATIONS/CAAQBWGKMM6Y_QOWWU70AG)

2019, 11:31 IST

(https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/vide
original/watch-starving-gazans-ran-for-ai
only-to-find-empty-bags-water-
New For You bottles/videoshow/108381690.cms)

(https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/vide
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(https://www.unenvironment.org/interactive/beat-plastic-
pollution/)
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Can Modi get Putin and pollution/), one million plastic bottles are purchased every
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used worldwide every year.In total, half of all plastic
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produced is designed to be used only once — and then
finally/articleshow/108698715.cms)
thrown away. While the trend is troublesome, the only way
to deal with this is to make changes in our lifestyle and
increase efforts to recycle plastic.

Yes, plastic can be recycled. And here are some of

the forms that can be easily recycled. (https://etmoney.onelink.me/unJQ/q6d76e0e)

1 – PETE – Polyethylene Terephthalate (Used in

water bottles)

2 – HDPE – High-density Polyethylene (Used in oil

cans, shampoo bottles)

3 – PVC – Polyvinyl Chloride (Used in intraneous

drips in hospitals)

4 – LDPE Low-density Polyethylene (Used in carry

bags)

5 – PP – Polypropylene (Used in cars)

6 – PS – Polystyrene (Used in tool manufacturing)

PET or PETE or Polyethylene terephthalate is a strong, stiff

synthetic fibre that hails from the family of polymers made
with ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. Almost every
plastic water bottle on the planet Earth is made of PET.
But what are the properties that make it such a great
packaging material, especially for food? In addition to
being lightweight, PET containers biologically don’t react
with food. Apart from this, PET is a strong, non-reactive,
economical, and shatterproof product, probably here to
save the day. PET's safety for food, beverage, personal
care, pharmaceutical and medical applications are
recognized by health authorities around the world.
One of the biggest reasons why PET is preferred by many
manufacturers is that it is 100% recyclable and highly
sustainable. It can be recovered and recycled again and
again –– back into containers for personal care products –
or into carpet and clothing fibres, automotive parts,
construction materials, industrial strapping or other
packaging materials.

PET bottles vs Glass bottles

Is glass a better alternative for food and beverage

packaging than PET? The short answer is no! But when
you put plastic against the glass, the favour tips more
towards plastic. It has become more widely used for food
and beverage products over the past few decades, it has
provided some benefits that glass does not. While glass
bottles may be viewed as more sustainable than plastic,
mainly because it can be reused, in the long run, it may
not be as sustainable as PET. Yes, glass bottles can be
easily cleaned and sterilised in boiling water, but the same
goes for PET bottles - you can re-use them n-number of
times just by washing them with warm water.

What makes glass containers unsafe to store food, in the

long run, is the growth of biofilms. Biofilms are a relatively
indefinable microbial community. This means they are
basically a collective of one or more types of
microorganisms that can grow on many different surfaces.
Microorganisms that form biofilms include bacteria, fungi
and protists. Biofilms producing bacteria is a serious
threat for public health globally but due to poor sanitary
conditions and low economic resources chances of
infections is high in developing countries. Effective control
measures should be developed for the treatment and
prevention of biofilm to get rid of serious problems.
Another area where glass bottles fall short is the durability
factor - PET bottles are way more durable whereas glass
bottles can easily break. Glass is 20 times heavier and 5
times costlier than a pet bottle.

(This photo was taken by Ms. Na Gao)

Moreover, when we talk about the manufacturing process

between glass and PET - the manufacturing of PET bottles
is far less intense on the environment than glass. Glass
manufacturing industry emits CO2 creating air pollution.

PET bottles vs Stainless Steel bottles

Sure, stainless steel bottles have several pros working for
them. They last longer than glass or plastic, mainly
because they are corrosion resistant. And when exposed
to sun/heat they do not leach chemicals. In fact, stainless
steel is 100% recyclable. Stainless steel water bottles are
food grade #316 or , which means there are made up of
18% chromium and 8% nickel. So, what’s the catch? Well,
manufacturing them is a task and so the retail price of
stainless-steel bottles is remarkably higher as compared
with PET bottles. And of course, with more resources
needed to produce stainless steel bottles, it leaves more
carbon in the air. Another huge factor that plays in PET's
favour is that stainless steel bottles are heavy to carry
around. Made from iron ore that’s a natural resource. Even
steel bottles form biofilm layers and since it is not opaque
much more difficult to see it.

PET bottles vs Aluminium cans

Aluminium as a container is excellent. It is lighter than

stainless steel and high on recyclability - 75%
(https://www.aluminum.org/aluminum-advantage/facts-
glance) (https://www.aluminum.org/aluminum-
advantage/facts-glance) of all the aluminium till date, is
still in use. Well, it all depends on the carbon footprint -
manufacturing aluminium is no easy task as it is extracted
from a rock called bauxite, the mining of which can
devastate ecosystems. When it’s made, aluminium
generates air and water pollution of severe proportions
and causes health issues for the surrounding communities.
But you simply cannot compare the carbon footprints of
aluminium and PET, as it is very complex. Aluminium cans
account for about double the greenhouse gases of plastic
bottles, said Martin Barrow, director of footprinting at UK-
based non-profit consultancy the Carbon Trust to
(https://in.reuters.com/article/uk-environment-plastic-
aluminium-insight/plastic-bottles-vs-aluminium-cans-
wholl-win-the-global-water-fight-idINKBN1WW0JQ)Reuters
(https://in.reuters.com/article/uk-environment-plastic-
aluminium-insight/plastic-bottles-vs-aluminium-cans-
wholl-win-the-global-water-fight-idINKBN1WW0JQ) citing
figures for Europe.

So, what’s the problem?

The problem with PET is our attitude. Specifically, the way

we dispose of it and lack of complete knowledge among
the consumers. With small changes in our lifestyle, we can
reuse 100% of PET containers. As of now, we undermine
the reusability factor of PET bottles and throw them into
dustbins which ends up in landfills or, worse, the ocean.
Given the longevity of such products, they dawdle in the
atmosphere for many centuries and can potentially disrupt
ecosystems and infiltrate food chains. However, if we find
ways to recycle PET bottles, like this
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvUptkdi3ls)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvUptkdi3ls), then
such problems will evaporate instantly.

When compared to its competition - PET surely comes off

as better than its alternative. It leaves less carbon
 footprint during its manufacturing, is easy to carry, is
extremely affordable and when you are conscious enough
to recycle, it can beat its contemporaries with its
versatility.

Poll
Do you pledge to segregate plastic and send it for
recycling?

No Yes

Disclaimer: This article has been produced on behalf

of Bottles For Change by Times Internet's Spotlight
Team.

End of Article

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