Use in consumer packaging

Thermoplastics, which account for 87% of plastics sold, are the most recyclable form of plastics because they can be remelted and reprocessed usually with only minor changes in their properties. Five resins are commonly used in consumer packaging applications. 

Polypropylene is used in battery cases and in the replacement of metal parts in automobiles. It is also widely used in consumer products, eg, kitchen wares, trays, toys, and packaging materials. Its future appHcations are expected to include an increased portion of the fibers and filaments markets, especially for continued growth in carpet backing and carpet face yams. Film, both oriented and unoriented, is also expected to be a significant growth market for polypropylene. 

Ciba Technical Bulletin 3H, Colorants for Use in Food Packaging, Toys and Consumer Goods, Ciba, Basel (Nov. 1998). 

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate is widely used as a plasticizer in flexible vinyl products. Plastics may contain from 1 to 40% di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate by weight and are used in consumer products such as imitation leather, rainwear, footwear, upholstery, flooring, wire and cable, tablecloths, shower curtains, food packaging materials and children s... 

The current polymer foam market is dominated by gas imbibed polystyrene, polyolefins and polyurethanes used in consumer products, packagings and construction markets. However, there is a growing market for high performance foam products. Insulation materials for aerospace, transportation and some construction industries are required to have higher temperature performance and non-flammability. In this respect polyimides are naturally the material of choice. 

DIDP is a general purpose plasticizer with a broad range of applications used in flexible PVC. It is widely used in the toy, construction, automotive, and general consumer product markets. It has limited use in food packaging and is not used in medical applications. 

PP is widely used for carpeting, packaging, and other applications, while HOPE is mostly used in the packaging of consumer and industrial products. Their occurrence in mixed scraps is likely to occur, and a complete separation of these two polyolefins is costiy and almost impossible because of their close densities and similarity of other physical properties. PP shows a relatively low modulus, yield strength, and resistance to creep that limits its applications, but these properties can be improved by mechanical blending with PE. 

This book chapter evaluates the definition, classification, and scope of POCs in different applications. POCs represent one of the most widely used polymeric materials. Synergistic reactions between the polymer matrix and filler materials (particulate, fiber, and structural fillers) result in modified properties. This book chapter contributes a brief introduction followed by a definition of processing and an extensive illustration of the different applications of POCs in a variety of fields (consumer, medical, agricultural, packaging, transportation, electrical, construction, and textile). POCs with natural wood fiber are widely used in consumer applications. They result in wood-like texture and properties with the cost of plastic. 

Phthalate esters are a key additive in many plastics, therefore are an important constituent of numerous consumer products. Most of the mid- to high-molecular weight phthalate esters are used in the manufacturing of PVC to impart flexibility," while DBP is used in epoxy resins and cellulose esters and specialized adhesive formulations, DEHP is used extensively in disposable medical devices made of PVC. Plasticizers are also used in consumer products such as food packaging, bottled water, and children toys. 

Polymer blends are utilized in various applications based on their properties. PP is used for its mechanical strength in consumer packages poly(vinyl alcohol) is widely used for its water solubility and transparency in film applications on various paper and textile surfaces and polyamide, in turn, is used for its good dimensional stability and chemical resistance in yam applications [12]. 

PP is extensively used in the packaging of consumer goods, which increases the amount of discarded PP packaging material in the waste stream. Postconsumer waste from PP is therefore abundant and recycling is a viable option for solid waste management. The recycling of PP is dependent on its structure and properties, and thermal properties are of particular importance when processing waste PP [16]. 

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