Worldwide, environmentalists and anti-pollution activists are fighting against the use of plastic products, requesting the total banning of plastics in favour of other more sustainable alternatives. Plastics SA believes there is another side to the story.
According to the organisation Plastics SA that represents the plastics industry in South Africa, banning all plastics may not be the best solution to the world’s environmental crisis. In fact, it could achieve the opposite effect.
A world without plastics would be a world of accelerated ecological degradation and would make life more expensive, according to Plastics SA. Firstly, products using alternative materials such as wood, paper or glass would need to be manufactured and transported, which requires more energy to produce.
Secondly, the use of alternatives that replace plastic products would turn into a costly option that most people would likely not be able to afford in the long-term, leading to lower living standards and more environmental issues.
There are other economic implications of banning the production and use of plastics, such as the loss of thousands of jobs in related industries.
While the anti-plastic lobbyists do fight for a better and cleaner world, a plastic-free environment may be completely unsustainable for daily living. A world without plastic is a world that, quite simply, we can’t sustain.
Plastic isn’t the problem, but plastic pollution is, which requires efficient waste management and recycling initiatives so that plastics can be recycled and reused without any harm done to the environment. Consequently, these initiatives would create more jobs and drive economies worldwide, concludes Plastics SA.
Watch Plastics SA’s video on YouTube.
Isowall is a founding member of the Expanded Polystyrene Association of South Africa (EPSASA) and a member of Polystyrene Association of South Africa (PASA), which are both members of Plastics SA.
Isowall has been certified as complying with ISO 14001:2015 environmental and ISO 9001:2015 quality standards. The Group is dedicated to proper waste management infrastructure and disposal through its zero waste to landfill initiative.
Isowall recycles responsibly. Hebcooler – a range of EPS Cups and Tubs under the Isolite brand – is 100% recyclable. The scrap from the manufacturing of Hebcooler EPS Cups and Tubs and any returned polystyrene are used to make Isowood dado rails and skirting boards.
Isowall is the supplier of choice within Africa for Insulated Sandwich Panel, EPS and EPP products. Contact us for more information.
