How does PLAST:IQ REVOLUTION make plastic packaging talk?
Wrong! The correct answer is the Digimarc digital watermarking. 50% of plastic mistakenly ends up in residual waste, which is directly incinerated unsorted. In order to be able to recycle packaging, such as food-grade, it must correctly identify itself when it ends up in a reusable material stream. This code is able to provide consumers and disposal companies with information about the respective packaging, thus enabling it to be sorted out.
Right! The Digimarc digital watermarking can be engraved directly into the plastic packaging or printed on a label on the outer packaging to give the packaging a "digital intelligence". The digital watermarking can be recognized by a wide range of machines and smartphones.
Wrong! The correct answer is the Digimarc digital watermarking. 50% of plastic mistakenly ends up in residual waste, which is directly incinerated unsorted. In order to be able to recycle packaging, such as food-grade, it must correctly identify itself when it ends up in a reusable material stream. This code is able to provide consumers and disposal companies with information about the respective packaging, thus enabling it to be sorted out.
What makes plastic superior as a packaging material?
Right! The Denkstatt study (2010) concluded that replacing plastic packaging with other materials such as paper, cardboard, steel, aluminum and glass would have the following effects in Europe alone (EU27+2): Greenhouse gas emissions would increase by a factor of 2.7 or by 61 million tons of CO2 equivalents per year. This is equivalent to the CO2 emissions of 21 million cars on the road (2018).
This result is mainly explained by the fact that plastic packaging usually performs the same function with significantly less material mass per functional unit. In most cases, this results in less production energy being required and correspondingly fewer greenhouse gas emissions per functional unit than a mix of alternative materials. In addition, plastic packaging has clear advantages over alternative materials such as paper or cardboard during the use phase, for example through the avoidance of food losses or the lower energy requirements for transport.
Wrong! Plastic packaging has a better carbon footprint than the alternatives. The analyses available in the literature on the substitution of plastic with alternative materials show that plastic packaging is extremely efficient. This concerns energy consumption as well as the impact on global warming and various other environmental parameters and, last but not least, a possible reduction in costs incurred by society.
Wrong! Plastic packaging has a better carbon footprint than the alternatives. The analyses available in the literature on the substitution of plastic with alternative materials show that plastic packaging is extremely efficient. This concerns energy consumption as well as the impact on global warming and various other environmental parameters and, last but not least, a possible reduction in costs incurred by society.
In the U.S., how many Olympic swimming pools full of water would the production of plastic packaging save in comparison to the use of alternative materials?
Misestimated! In fact, it is 460,000 Olympic swimming pools. The production of plastic resins and plastic converting processes consume less water per kg than production of substitute packaging such as paper and paperboard (on average 190 liters water/kg PET compared to 350 liters water/kg virgin paper if water is not reused; source). This results in significant water savings in the production of plastic packaging – vividly expressed as the water mass of an Olympic swimming pool, amounting to about 460,000 such pools for the US plastic packaging (based on Olympic pool dimensions of 50 meters long, 25 meters wide and 2 meters deep).
Misestimated! In fact, it is 460,000 Olympic swimming pools. The production of plastic resins and plastic converting processes consume less water per kg than production of substitute packaging such as paper and paperboard (on average 190 liters water/kg PET compared to 350 liters water/kg virgin paper if water is not reused; source). This results in significant water savings in the production of plastic packaging – vividly expressed as the water mass of an Olympic swimming pool, amounting to about 460,000 such pools for the US plastic packaging (based on Olympic pool dimensions of 50 meters long, 25 meters wide and 2 meters deep).
Right. Overall, the substitutes that would replace US plastic packaging would consume almost six times as much water. The savings in water consumption would be sufficient to fill 460,000 Olympic-size swimming pools for the US plastic packaging (based on Olympic pool dimensions of 50 meters long, 25 meters wide, and 2 meters deep).
What share of non-renewable fossil-based raw material consumption does plastic account for?
Wrong. Plastic products account for only 6% of non-renewable fossil fuel consumption (see study). Contrary to popular belief, eliminating plastics will not save fossil fuels. In fact, replacing them would have the opposite effect: total consumption of non-renewable fossil fuels would increase, as would greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other negative impacts on the environment such as acidification and eutrophication, smog formation and ozone depletion. In sum, the total cost to society would be expected to increase dramatically.
Wrong. Plastic products account for only 6% of non-renewable fossil fuel consumption (see study). Contrary to popular belief, eliminating plastics will not save fossil fuels. In fact, replacing them would have the opposite effect: total consumption of non-renewable fossil fuels would increase, as would greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other negative impacts on the environment such as acidification and eutrophication, smog formation and ozone depletion. In sum, the total cost to society would be expected to increase dramatically.
True. Plastic products account for only 6% of non-renewable fossil fuel consumption (see study). Contrary to popular belief, eliminating plastics will not save fossil fuels. In fact, replacing them would have the opposite effect: total consumption of non-renewable fossil fuels would increase, as would greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other negative impacts on the environment such as acidification and eutrophication, smog formation and ozone depletion. In sum, the total cost to society would be expected to increase dramatically.
How much more greenhouse gas emissions would there be in Europe if we switched from plastic packaging to alternative materials?
Right! A Denkstatt study concludes that replacing plastic packaging with other materials such as paper, cardboard, steel, aluminum and glass would have the following impact in Europe alone (EU27+2): Greenhouse gas emissions would increase by a factor of 2.7 or by 61 million tons of CO2 equivalents per year. This is equivalent to the CO2 emissions of 21 million cars on the road or the total CO2 emissions of Finland (2018; source: EEA).
Wrong. Replacing plastic packaging with other materials such as paper, cardboard, steel, aluminum and glass would increase greenhouse gas emissions by a factor of 2.7 or by 61 million tons of CO2 equivalents per year. This is equivalent to Finland's total CO2 emissions (2018; source: EEA).
Wrong. Replacing plastic packaging with other materials such as paper, cardboard, steel, aluminum and glass would increase greenhouse gas emissions by a factor of 2.7 or by 61 million tons of CO2 equivalents per year. This is equivalent to Finland's total CO2 emissions (2018; source: EEA).
What is the name of the circular system in which plastic waste can be fully recycled?
Wrong. Closed-loop recycling is a model of production and consumption in which existing materials and products are shared, leased, reused, repaired, refurbished and recycled for as long as possible. In this way, the life cycle of products is extended. In practice, this means that waste is reduced to a minimum. After a product has reached the end of its service life, the resources and materials remain in the economy as far as possible. They are thus productively reused again and again in order to continue generating added value.
True! More than 50 million tons of household waste are generated in Germany every year. A large part of it consists of valuable raw materials. Apart from metals, plastics are particularly significant. Almost every product contains materials derived from crude oil. When these products reach the end of their useful life, they often end up in waste incineration or landfills. Only a portion is recycled. Quite a wastage. Closed-loop recycling pursues the goal of intensively using all materials that have been extracted from nature at some point and later reintroducing them into the manufacturing process as raw materials.
Wrong. Closed-loop recycling is a model of production and consumption in which existing materials and products are shared, leased, reused, repaired, refurbished and recycled for as long as possible. In this way, the life cycle of products is extended. In practice, this means that waste is reduced to a minimum. After a product has reached the end of its service life, the resources and materials remain in the economy as far as possible. They are thus productively reused again and again in order to continue generating added value.
How much extra weight – expressed in terms of jumbo jet aircraft – could be generated in the U.S. by replacing plastic packaging with alternative materials?
Underestimated! In fact, it is as many as 290,000 aircraft of this type. Solid waste tends to be much higher for substitute packaging (e.g., paper, metals, glass). This is because, in general, a higher weight of substitute packaging is required to perform the same function as plastic packaging. In addition, the processes for treating solid waste from plastics tend to be less complicated than those for solid waste from paper, cardboard and metals, where sludges, mining residues and slags are generated.
Underestimated! In fact, it is as many as 290,000 aircraft of this type. Solid waste tends to be much higher for substitute packaging (e.g., paper, metals, glass). This is because, in general, a higher weight of substitute packaging is required to perform the same function as plastic packaging. In addition, the processes for treating solid waste from plastics tend to be less complicated than those for solid waste from paper, cardboard and metals, where sludges, mining residues and slags are generated.
Right. The weight advantages of plastic packaging for solid waste compared to substitute packaging add up in toto to a factor of 4.9 for the USA. The weight savings in solid waste, converted to the equivalent number of B747 aircraft, is 290,000 aircraft of this type for plastic packaging in the USA (source).
Which country has stopped importing plastic waste from Germany?
Wrong. It was China that stopped importing plastic waste in 2018. In 2016 alone, 14 million tons of the world's plastic waste was exported for recycling. Half of that went directly to China. 123 countries worldwide, including mainly wealthy industrialized nations, have their plastic waste recycled abroad. Germany also still exported 560,000 tons of plastic waste to China in 2016. That's just under a tenth of the plastic waste we generate each year.
That's right. A total of 24 different recycled materials may no longer be exported to China since January 1, 2018 – including unsorted plastic waste.
Wrong. It was China that stopped importing plastic waste in 2018. In 2016 alone, 14 million tons of the world's plastic waste was exported for recycling. Half of that went directly to China. 123 countries worldwide, including mainly wealthy industrialized nations, have their plastic waste recycled abroad. Germany also still exported 560,000 tons of plastic waste to China in 2016. That's just under a tenth of the plastic waste we generate each year.