Plastic packaging offers compelling advantages over glass.
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Source: By Jeff Johnson, Director of Marketing & New Business Development, Drug Plastics & Glass Co., Inc.
When it comes to bottles and jars for retail product packaging, both glass and plastic are prominent materials. Companies have a wide array of choices, with both materials being adaptable for customized shapes and sizes.
For consumers, plastic tends to be more advantageous. It is notably more convenient due to its lighter weight, making it easier to carry and transport. Plastic is also more resilient against impacts, reducing the likelihood of breakage when compared to glass. These qualities render plastic a preferred option in the fast-paced lives many people lead today.
Plastic is also considered safer. In case of breakage, glass shatters, posing a safety hazard during cleanup. In manufacturing and packaging environments, broken glass can cause injuries and decrease productivity. Glass can also chip during the filling process, raising the risk of glass slivers contaminating the product, which could ultimately harm consumers.
Additionally, plastic provides significant benefits in terms of cost-efficiency and sustainability. It’s essential to be well-informed about packaging materials to make sound decisions. Analyzing both cost and sustainability factors can guide you in determining whether to opt for glass or plastic in your packaging solutions.
Plastic Offers Lower Costs in 3 Key Areas
Transportation Costs: Advantage Plastic. Shipping glass can become expensive quickly due to its heavy weight. As an illustration, a 2-oz glass jar weighs 82.2 grams, whereas a similar-sized HDPE plastic jar weighs only 13.0 grams. Because of this weight difference, plastic is more economical for bulk shipping, adding up to substantial cost savings over time.
Shipping & Handling Loss: Advantage Plastic. Glass is more susceptible to breaking during the shipping and handling process. Plastic, on the other hand, is more durable and can withstand more movement and impacts, making it more reliable and cost-effective.
Production Costs: Advantage Plastic. The production of glass requires significantly more energy and higher temperatures compared to plastic. With advances in plastic molding technology, manufacturing plastic containers has become even more cost-effective. As a result, plastic containers are not only cheaper to produce but also cheaper to ship and handle.
Plastic Offers Similar Benefits to Glass in 3 Sustainability Areas
Recycling Potential: Advantage Either. While both glass and certain types of plastics are recyclable, plastic is typically down-cycled into lower-quality products, whereas glass can be recycled without loss in quality. However, Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) options for PET and HDPE plastics offer a sustainable recycling pathway.
Recycling Reality: Advantage Either. EPA data show that recycling rates for certain types of plastics, such as PET and HDPE, are comparable to or higher than those for glass, which had a 26.6% recycling rate in 2017.
Biodegradability: Advantage Either. Both materials have long decomposition times, with glass potentially taking up to 1 million years and plastic up to 1,000 years in a landfill.
Plastic Surpasses Glass in 3 Sustainability Areas
Sustainability of Raw Materials: Advantage Plastic. The extraction and processing of raw materials for glass production can be more environmentally disruptive compared to plastics. Innovations like Bioresin HDPE, which is made from renewable resources such as sugarcane, present more sustainable alternatives to traditional petroleum-based plastics.
Energy Cost to Produce: Advantage Plastic. Glass production is an energy-intensive process involving extremely high temperatures. In contrast, the energy required to produce plastic, although still significant, is generally lower. A comparative analysis reveals that an HDPE plastic jar generates only 20% of the carbon footprint compared to a glass jar.
Energy to Transport: Advantage Plastic. Due to its lighter weight, transporting plastic requires less fuel and has a smaller carbon footprint compared to glass. This weight advantage also allows for fewer resources spent on additional packaging materials to protect fragile glass items during transport.
Summary
Many differences exist between glass and plastic. Only you can determine which material is best for your application. However, if lower costs and greater environmental friendliness are at the top of your priorities, plastic offers compelling advantages over glass. When you understand these differences, you can make more informed decisions about your packaging options.
In addition, when you partner with a plastic manufacturer that is invested in the ongoing success of your business, you can rest easy knowing they have your best interest at heart. There is more to a relationship than just the financial transaction of buying packaging. Your plastic manufacturing partner should provide critical information that can help you decide what the best solution is for your packaging.
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