10 facts about plastics everyone should know.

1. Plastics are one of the most resource efficient and versatile materials

available to society.

2. Plastics make a significant contribution to the vital goals of sustainable

development:

Social progress: plastics provide affordable products giving more people

access to higher standards of living, healthcare and information.

Economic development: the plastics industry chain in Europe adds

value to society. It employs well over 1.5 million people and

generates sales in excess of 159 billion euro.

Environment protection: plastics help save resources – fossil fuels

and energy. Plastics products save water and food.

3. Plastics consume only a tiny fraction – just 4 %- of the world’s oil, as feedstock.

4. Plastics products in use save oil:

100 kg of plastics parts in cars reduces oil consumption by about

12 million tonnes each year in Europe, reducing CO2 emissions by

30 million tonnes a year.

Plastics help reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions from our

homes: the innovative use of plastics can reduce domestic fuel consumption

to 3 litres per square metre, compared to an average of 20 litres.

5. Plastics are too valuable to waste – even at end-of-life.After serving a useful

purpose, plastics can either be recycled or used as an alternative fuel.

Plastic waste has a calorific value at least equal to coal and with lower CO2

emissions.

6. Renewable energies rely on plastics: solar panels, wind turbines.

7. Over 1 billion people in the world lack access to safe water. Plastics can

preserve and distribute water economically, reliably and safely.

8. No other material can compete with plastics when it comes to

meeting technological demands while preserving resources.

9. Plastics are the champions of prevention:

Plastics packaging represents 17 % all European packaging and

yet packages over 50% of the consumer goods.

Over a ten-year period it is estimated that plastics packaging

per unit has been reduced by around 28% thanks to technology

Without plastics packaging, the weight of packaging would

increasefour-fold, production costs and energy consumption

would be doubled, and waste volume increased by 150%

10. Plastics make our lives safer: airbags, seatbelts, baby seats, bike

helmets, medical devices. are just some examples