GLASS vs. GLASS vs. PLASTICPLASTIC

Which is better for the Which is better for the beverage industry?beverage industry?

OverviewOverview

• Production Production • Environmental impacts of Environmental impacts of

productionproduction• Health effects to workers and Health effects to workers and

consumersconsumers• Recycling Recycling

Plastic Resin ProductionPlastic Resin Production• Plastic is made from ethylene. Plastic is made from ethylene.

• Ethylene is derived from natural gas.Ethylene is derived from natural gas.

• It is then combined with solvents, It is then combined with solvents, other co-monomers and additives other co-monomers and additives and made into a polymer otherwise and made into a polymer otherwise known as a resin.known as a resin.

• Resin is sold and made into plastic Resin is sold and made into plastic bottles (PET: polyethylene bottles (PET: polyethylene terephthalate).terephthalate).

FactFact

Plastic Production accounts for 4% of Plastic Production accounts for 4% of the total US energy consumption. the total US energy consumption.

World Consumption of World Consumption of PlasticPlastic

19991999

Glass ProductionGlass Production• Mix silica sand, soda ash, limestone, aluminum Mix silica sand, soda ash, limestone, aluminum

silicate, and minor ingredients.silicate, and minor ingredients.

• Heat oven to 1500 Heat oven to 1500 °°F and melt the mixture. F and melt the mixture.

• Transfer to a refiner for further heating.Transfer to a refiner for further heating.

• Flow melted glass through a furnace and cut into Flow melted glass through a furnace and cut into sections for molding. sections for molding.

• Pour glass into metal molds and place in a lehr Pour glass into metal molds and place in a lehr oven.oven.

• When stress areas are removed, cool and use. When stress areas are removed, cool and use.

FactFact

All glass food and beverage containers can be recycled.

North American Raw Material North American Raw Material Consumption Consumption

for Glass Manufacturing, 1996for Glass Manufacturing, 1996

Material Material Tons Tons

SandSand 12,000,00012,000,000Soda ashSoda ash 4,000,000 4,000,000Limestone and dolomiteLimestone and dolomite 1,750,000 1,750,000 Alumina mineralsAlumina minerals 750,000750,000CulletCullet 3,000,0003,000,000

Raw Material ConsumptionRaw Material Consumption

Estimated Glass Packaging Estimated Glass Packaging ProductionProduction

Production CostsProduction Costs

Plastic BottlesPlastic BottlesTotal Energy to Produce, Total Energy to Produce,

Package, Transport:Package, Transport:32 MJ/16 oz bottle32 MJ/16 oz bottle

More expensive to More expensive to produce, less expensive produce, less expensive

to transport.to transport.

Glass BottlesGlass BottlesTotal Energy to Produce, Total Energy to Produce,

Package, Transport:Package, Transport:34 MJ/16 oz bottle34 MJ/16 oz bottle

Less expensive to Less expensive to produce, more produce, more

expensive to transport.expensive to transport.

Producing a pound of plastic resin uses nearly Producing a pound of plastic resin uses nearly 9 9 timestimes the amount of energy of producing a the amount of energy of producing a pound of glass.pound of glass.

Environmental ImpactsEnvironmental ImpactsPlasticPlastic

• Most obvious pollution is waste sent to Most obvious pollution is waste sent to landfills.landfills.

• Significant releases of toxic chemicals Significant releases of toxic chemicals into the air in resin and container into the air in resin and container production.production.

• Toxic emissions include Nickel, Toxic emissions include Nickel, Ethylbenzene, Ethylene Oxide, and Ethylbenzene, Ethylene Oxide, and Benzene.Benzene.

Environmental ImpactsEnvironmental ImpactsGlassGlass

• Producing a 16 oz glass bottle emits Producing a 16 oz glass bottle emits 100 times less toxins to air and water 100 times less toxins to air and water than producing a 16 oz plastic bottle.than producing a 16 oz plastic bottle.

• Fossil Fuels are used to generate the Fossil Fuels are used to generate the extreme heat needed to make glass extreme heat needed to make glass containers.containers.

• More fuel oils will be needed to More fuel oils will be needed to transport glass to do its heavy transport glass to do its heavy weight.weight.

FactFact

The manufacturing of glass by The manufacturing of glass by recycled glass versus raw materials recycled glass versus raw materials

reduces air pollution by 20% and reduces air pollution by 20% and water pollution by 50%.water pollution by 50%.

Recycling one ton of plastic drink Recycling one ton of plastic drink containers saves 1000 gallons of containers saves 1000 gallons of

gasoline.gasoline.

Hazardous Health EffectsHazardous Health Effects

Plastic BottlesPlastic Bottles• Hazardous to Hazardous to

workers: workers: explosions, chemical explosions, chemical fires, chemical spills, fires, chemical spills, clouds of toxic clouds of toxic vapors.vapors.

• Acetaldehyde Acetaldehyde migrates from PET migrates from PET bottles into liquids. bottles into liquids.

Glass BottlesGlass Bottles• Hazardous to Hazardous to

workers: Burnsworkers: Burns

• Possibility of glass Possibility of glass breaking.breaking.

?

RecyclingRecycling

Plastic BottlesPlastic Bottles

Only type 1 and 2 Only type 1 and 2 can be recycled, can be recycled, even though all even though all

plastic contains the plastic contains the recycle symbol.recycle symbol.

Glass BottlesGlass Bottles

All glass can be All glass can be recycled. recycled.

Consumers must sort Consumers must sort by color.by color.

FactFact

In 1994, approximately 13.3 million tons of

glass waste was generated in the U.S. Food and beverage containers made up 91% of this amount.

Plastic Recycling ProcessPlastic Recycling Process

• Bottles will be color sorted, ground, Bottles will be color sorted, ground, and washed.and washed.

• PET sinks in the washing process, PET sinks in the washing process, while contaminates float.while contaminates float.

• PET is collected and then re-pelletized.PET is collected and then re-pelletized.

FactFact

Americans throw away 2.5 million

plastic bottles every hour, for a total of 22 billion plastic bottles a year! 

Glass Recycling ProcessGlass Recycling Process• Glass is sorted by color (green, flint, amber).Glass is sorted by color (green, flint, amber).

• Glass is put through a series of magnets to Glass is put through a series of magnets to remove all metal contaminates.remove all metal contaminates.

• Filtered to remove small particles and then set Filtered to remove small particles and then set through a density separator to remove other through a density separator to remove other contaminates. contaminates.

• Crushed into small pieces (cullet), filter processes Crushed into small pieces (cullet), filter processes repeated, and then used for new bottles.repeated, and then used for new bottles.

Sorting Color in GlassSorting Color in Glass

Plastic Recycling FactsPlastic Recycling Facts• Most plastic bottles are not made into Most plastic bottles are not made into

packaging again after the recycling process.packaging again after the recycling process.

• Slightly less than one million ton of plastic Slightly less than one million ton of plastic soft drink bottles end up in land fills every soft drink bottles end up in land fills every year.year.

• Estimated that of the 22.4 million tons of Estimated that of the 22.4 million tons of plastics produced in 1998, only 5.4% was plastics produced in 1998, only 5.4% was recovered for recycling.recovered for recycling.

America Wasting AwayAmerica Wasting Away

Glass Recycling FactsGlass Recycling Facts• Recycling glass saves far more energy Recycling glass saves far more energy

and resources than recycling plastic.and resources than recycling plastic.

• In 2001, 22% of the 10.9 million tons of In 2001, 22% of the 10.9 million tons of glass produced in the US was glass produced in the US was recovered for recycling.recovered for recycling.

• 90% of all recycled glass is made into 90% of all recycled glass is made into new packaging containers.new packaging containers.

FactFact

Each ton of glass recycled saves 9 Each ton of glass recycled saves 9 gallons of fuel. gallons of fuel.

Recycling glass lowers the melting Recycling glass lowers the melting temperature and saves 32% of the temperature and saves 32% of the

energy needed for production of new energy needed for production of new glass.glass.

Misconception about Misconception about RecyclingRecycling

• Large social misconception about Large social misconception about recycling plastic. recycling plastic.

• Due to the label, consumers think they Due to the label, consumers think they are buying products that can be are buying products that can be recycled.recycled.

• In actuality, most of these products In actuality, most of these products cannot be recycled and end up in land cannot be recycled and end up in land fills. fills.

SuggestionsSuggestions

Hazardous Chemicals vs Fossil FuelsHazardous Chemicals vs Fossil Fuels

Durable vs BreakableDurable vs Breakable

Light-weight vs HeavyLight-weight vs Heavy

Slightly Recyclable vs 100 % RecyclableSlightly Recyclable vs 100 % Recyclable

WHAT DO YOU THINK???WHAT DO YOU THINK???

Plastic or GlassPlastic or Glass

ReferencesReferenceshttp://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/http://www.americanplasticscouncil.org/s_apc/http://www.americanplasticscouncil.org/s_apc/

sec.asp?TrackID=&CID=343&DID=1110&VID=86sec.asp?TrackID=&CID=343&DID=1110&VID=86http://www.mindfully.org/Berkeley-Plastics-Task-http://www.mindfully.org/Berkeley-Plastics-Task-

Force.htmForce.htmhttp://www.designboom.com/eng/education/pet/http://www.designboom.com/eng/education/pet/

recycling.htmlrecycling.htmlhttp://americanplasticscouncil.org/s_apc/sec.asphttp://americanplasticscouncil.org/s_apc/sec.asphttp://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/

glass.htmglass.htmhttp://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/seahome/housewaste/http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/seahome/housewaste/

src/glass.htmsrc/glass.htmhttp://www.cityofmadison.com/streets/plastic.htmlhttp://www.cityofmadison.com/streets/plastic.html