Plastics and Sustainability (ePub)

Clearly lays out the issues related to plastics' effects on the
environment, while also serving as a practical, non-academic guide
for making sustainability decisions about plastics recycling
and the newest bio-based plastics

Company managers, product developers, policy makers,
environmental researchers, and plastics industry engineers are
under increasing pressure to find ways of minimizing the
environmental footprint of plastic products. This accessible book
is designed to help readers understand the life-cycle impacts of
various plastics, clarifying the technical research and practical
arguments to show when bio-based and recycled plastics might be
useful options for reducing the overall energy consumption,
greenhouse gas emissions, and waste associated with traditional
plastics.

Plastics and Sustainability compares traditional fossil
fuel-based plastics with bio-based plastics in terms of properties,
environmental impacts, and costs -- indicating what the most
effective approaches could be for using recycled, biodegradable, or
various bio-based materials. The book makes objective comparisons
between bioplastics and all commonly used plastics, focusing on how
they affect production economics, product requirements, and
retailer and consumer needs. It incorporates research concerning
life-cycle assessment, production techniques, and commercial
applications, and presents "green" guidelines about product design,
recycling, processing efficiency, and material selection. The book
also reports on recent industry developments and commercial trends
in an effort to synthesize conclusions that are necessary for
finding the right balance between bio-based and fossil-fuel based
plastic products.

Check out the author's blog at style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Cordia New'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-bidi-language: TH;"> href="http://www.plastech.biz/blog">style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">http://www.plastech.biz/blog.