ABSTRACT
Use of plastics as packaging materials has grown rapidly during the last several decades (Figure 131.1) (1). The development of new plastic resins and the combination of resins in multilayer structures has allowed plastics to substitute for glass and metal, in particular, in a variety of applications. Such changes generally result in smaller and lighter packages that take less space and consume less energy in manufacture, storage, and distribution. Plastics have also substituted for paper in a significant number of applications. In other cases, a combination of paper and plastics, sometimes with aluminum foil as well, has replaced glass or metal. The area of flexible packaging has been a major source of growth for the use of plastics. However, plastics are certainly not confined to such uses.
