Energy packaging materials

Vinyl compares favorably to other packaging materials. In 1992, a lifecycle assessment comparison of specific packages made from glass, paperboard, paper, and selected plastics concluded that vinyl was the material that has the lowest production energy and carbon dioxide emissions, as well as the lowest fossil fuel and raw material requirements of the plastics studied (169). Vinyl saves more than 34 million Btu per 1000 pounds manufactured compared to the highest energy-consuming plastic (170). 

Furthermore, it is not tme that other plastics are more environmentally friendly than vinyl. A more recent study compared vinyl to a number of other packaging materials and found that vinyl consumed the least amount of energy, used the lowest level of fossil fuels, consumed the least amount of raw materials, and produced the lowest levels of carbon dioxide of any of the plastics studied (184). In fact, the Norwegian environmental group BeUona has concluded that a generally reduced use of vinyl plastics can lead to a worsening of the environmental situation (185). 

The low density of SPHs and SPH composites allows applications as a high-strength, light-weight stractural material as well as a packaging material. They will be also good as insulators and fillers in structures with energy-sensitive applications. 

Table 1-3. Energy requirements for beverage packaging material (adapted from Guillet 1997, courtesy of Wiley-VCH).

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