When you start listing items made of plastic, then food containers, plastic bags, and children’s toys may quickly come to mind. The truth, however, is that there is a fantastic amount of industries that make plastic every day.
Workers making items for the health care industry produce many things made of plastic. Some workers make items like IVs and syringes from plastics while others manufacture life-saving machines like incubators and dialysis machines from plastic. First responders rely on plastic items to protect them. The next time you get a wound, you may even use a liquid bandage, which workers make from plastic.
Farmers and ranchers rely on plastic every day to grow the food that you eat. Many plants are grown in plastic greenhouses while plastic tunnels often protect tender row crops. Some crops are raised with plastic mulch around them to stop weeds and keep water in the ground. Other farmers use plastic irrigation pipes to deliver water to thirsty plants. Crops are often wrapped in plastic to help preserve them. Most plastic items used in agriculture and health care have an average lifespan of five years.
Construction workers use many types of plastic. The industry often chooses things made of plastic because they are resistant to corrosion. They also are an excellent electric insulator, and they are incredibly durable. They are also fire-resistant, giving people more time to get out of burning buildings. The great news is that plastic used in the construction industry lasts an average of 23 years, and most plastic items are recyclable.
Plastics are used to build a wide variety of transportation options. Workers often use plastic for glazing, interior wall panels, partitions, headliners, and light diffusers. Manufacturers often choose them because they are beautiful and durable. Many plastics have outstanding insulating properties. Workers can quickly form plastic into various shapes. On average, the plastic used in the transportation industry has an average lifespan of 13 years.
Electricians use plastic parts daily. For decades, plastic has been used to insulate electric wires because it does not generally conduct electricity. More recently, however, researchers have developed a new type of plastic that can conduct electricity. The product requires the mixing of plastic with metal to make a thin sheet that then conducts metal. One possible use of this new type of plastic is the production of electrical resistance thermometers. The average lifespan of plastic used in the electrical industry is five years.
More than 50 % of all plastic, however, is used to produce packaging that usually lasts less than six months before being discarded. You can have a significant impact on making sure that this plastic gets recycled. Contact All County Recycling about plastic recycling in New Jersey today. When everyone works together to enhance the amount of plastic recycling in New Jersey, then the world becomes a better place.
