intraplas@intraplas.pt

Plastic, in its many different forms, is a part of everyone's daily lives, and most of the time we don't even realize its importance to a broad range of human activities. Plastic is part of modern life. Over the last 150 years, this extraordinary material has radically changed the society in which we live, greatly contributing to a higher standard of living and general well being. We need only look at technological advances in medical surgery or even in the Internet to see that none of this would have been possible without plastic...

Proof that plastic is the material of the 21st century is in front of our very eyes, we merely need to look around at this moment and count the number of articles made of plastic...
Today there are more than 1,000 different types of plastic used for a wide range of purposes.

But what is plastic?

The word plastic originated from the Greek word "plastikos" which means capable of being shaped, its essential characteristic. Plastics are materials consisting of long chains of molecules called polymers.

Classification (by physical properties):

• Thermosetting: these harden through heating and chemical reactions and whose rigid forms cannot be reshaped by heat;

• Elastomers: commonly known as rubber, these can be classified into two major groups, natural elastomers (e.g. Latex) and synthetic elastomers (e.g. SBR);

• Thermoplastics: these soften when heated and harden again when cooled, enabling them to be shaped successively. More than 80% of commonly used plastics are of this type.

THE TRANSFORMATION OF PLASTIC

At the end of the polymerisation process, several additives mixed with the polymer give plastic its desired properties. Some of the most commonly used additives in the plastics industry are listed below:

• Stabilisers and anti-oxidants - to avoid decomposition;

• Pigments - to give the plastic the desired colour;

• Plastifiers - for greater flexibility;

• Mineral materials - to provide rigidity or to modify the texture and general aspect;

• Anti-static agents - to reduce dust-particle attraction caused by static electricity;

• Anti-UV agents - limit light-induced decomposition of plastic;

• Filling agents - to make the plastic lighter;

• Anti-fire agents - to make the plastic more fire resistant.

ADVANTAGES OF PLASTIC

• Plastic can be used in an infinite number of ways;

• Plastic is a hygienic and aseptic material;

• Plastic is an excellent thermal insulator;

• Plastic is a light material;

• Plastic is flexible and malleable;

• Plastic is a strong material;

• Plastic is durable and reliable;

• Plastic is re-useable;

• Plastic is recyclable.

PLASTIC AND THE ENVIRONMENT: Let's set the record straight!

Many notions are simply false, and there are many misunderstandings about plastic and the environment. For example, it is said that:

XPlastic production contributes to the depletion of oil reserves;
üHowever, only 4% of the oil used in the Western World is used to produce plastics.

XPlastic production is highly pollutant;
üAdvance technology has made plastic production very efficient and waste-free: plastic leftovers go back
into the production process, gases emitted in plastic production are put to use, etc.

XPlastic production and use waste energy;
üCurrent plastic manufacturing methods use 40% to 70% less energy than 20 years ago. Plastic is the dominant material in alternative-energy equipment such as wind power and solar energy... and it is also used in "environmentally friendly" vehicles which are light and fuel efficient.

XAt the end of their life cycle plastics are merely pollution;
üOn the contrary, in Western Europe plastic's life cycle is getting longer and longer, and plastic itself is a
valuable alternative energy source.