Hail College of Technology

Mechanical Department

Plastic and Environment

Instructor:
Hamed Almutairi
 Contents

Introduction
Properties of plastics
Increasing Usage of Plastic
Positive impact of plastic
Negative impact of plastic
Types , categories and families of plastics
effect of environment in Plastics
Green manufacturing
References
Introduction

In this course, the relation between plastic and environment is covered .

So, what is plastic ? what is environment ? how do they effect in each other?
During this is short course the answer of these questions are explained. Moreover,
types and families of plastic are explained.

The goal of this course is to give the trainee general idea about the effect of
environment in the plastic and the effect of plastic in environment .
Also, Environmental issues in area of plastic are covered such as green
manufacturing. Positive and negative aspects of plastics are covered.

A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic

solids that are moldable. Plastics are typically organic polymers of high molecular
mass, but they often contain other substances. They are usually synthetic, most
commonly derived from petrochemicals, but many are partially natural.

Plastics are the most versatile materials ever invented. Indeed, the word
"plastic," which derives from the Greek word plastikos, meaning to mold or form,
has come to be used as a general description for anything particularly adaptable or
flexible. Since the first plastic, celluloid, was developed as a replacement for
elephant ivory in the 1860s, many different types of plastics, including nylon, ,
and polyethylene have revolutionized the manufacture of commercial goods as
diverse as nylon stockings and car-body parts. Although the use of plastic
continues to grow and revolutionary new plastics are constantly being developed,
concerns have been raised about the environmental effects of using and disposing
of so much plastic material, prompting the invention of bioplastics.

Plastics are synthetic chemicals extracted mainly from petroleum and composed
of hydrocarbons (compounds made from chains of hydrogen and carbonatoms).
Most plastics are polymers, long molecules made up of many repetitions of a basic
molecule called a monomer; in effect, the monomers are like identical railroad cars
coupled together to form a very long train. Thus, as many as 50,000 molecules of
ethylene (which has two carbon atoms bonded to four hydrogen atoms) can be
joined end to end into a familiar polymer called polyethylene (or polythene). The
process of building polymers by adding together monomers is called additive
polymerization. Another process called condensation polymerization (or
polycondensation) builds up polymers by removing some atoms from each
monomer so they can join together in a different way. Polyesters such as Terylene
(two different brand names for similar materials) are made by polycondensation.
Whichever process is used, the chemical properties of the monomer normally
govern those of the polymer that is eventually formed.
Polymerization produces two different kinds of plastics. Sometimes, polymers
form very long straight or branched chains. These are present in so-
called thermoplastics, which always soften when heated and harden when cooled
down. Examples include polyethylene and polystyrene. Polymers can also form
more complex three-dimensional structures, which give plastics very different
physical properties. Thermosetting plastics, as these are called, harden the first
time they are heated when cross-links form between different plastic molecules.
Thermosetting plastics never soften again no matter how many times they are
heated and this makes them particularly suitable for objects that need to operate in
hot environments. Epoxy resins and bakelite are examples of thermosetting
plastics.

Plastic goods such as hosepipes or washing-up bowls begin life as a raw

material, or resin, produced by polymerization. Initially, the resin starts off as a
powder, or as pellets or flakes, to which various other materials are added. Some of
these provide color or texture, while others give the plastic particular physical
properties, such as fire-resistance, slight electrical conductivity (to reduce static
buildup), or added strength. Additives called plasticizers make a plastic flow more
easily while stabilizers called antioxidants help to prevent it from breaking down
over time, for example, through the effect of the ultraviolet radiation in sunlight.

Once the raw material has been prepared, the final product is produced through a
range of different manufacturing processes. Extrusion involves squeezing plastic
like toothpaste through a mold and is used to make goods such as hosepipes and
polyethylene sheets. Injection molding involves heating resin pellets until they
melt, then forcing them under pressure into a mold, where they cool and harden to
make objects such as plastic telephones or toy cars. A similar technique
called blow molding makes plastic bottles by forcing a thin layer of plastic against
the mold with compressed air. Casting is used to shape thermosetting plastics by
pouring them into a mold then heating them until they set.
Andcalendering involves squeezing sheets of plastic between huge rollers to make
thin, flexible materials such as plastic folders.
Properties of plastics

Plastics have numerous properties that make them superior to other materials in
many applications. Plastics generally have: resistance to corrosion and chemicals,
low electrical and thermal conductivity, high strength-to-weight ratio, colors
available in a wide variety and transparent, resistance to shock, good durability,
low cost, are easy to manufacture, resistant to water and have low toxicity.

Plastic is any synthetic or semi-synthetic organic polymer. While plastics may

be made from just about any organic polymer, most industrial plastic is made from
petrochemicals. Thermoplastics and thermosetting polymers are the two types of
plastic.

• Lightweight for shipping and storage

• Plastics are inexpensive, in the current (subsidized)
market,.
• Non-breakable in shipping and use
• Malleable for design purposes (e.g. electronics
housings)
• Flexible for use purposes (bendy straws, hoses,
squeezable condiments)
Theoretically able to be made with recycled-content
• Performance multi-functionality
– A PVC rain jacket or pair of clogs
– Polyester shirts can be spun into unique textures

Plastics are one of the most common materials in countless products and
applications including: appliances, auto interior panels, side shields, fender liners,
head liners, bottles, CD and cassette boxes, cutlery, displays, disposable cups,
electrical connectors, electronic enclosures, eyeglasses, food packaging, fridge
liners, ID cards, instrument panels, jars, lenses, microwavable packaging, name
tags, outdoor signs, packaging, pallets, pipes, plates, seat backs, security shields,
shutters, trays, window frames, windows and windshields.

The properties of plastics are defined chiefly by the organic chemistry of the
polymer such as hardness, density, and resistance to heat, organic
solvents, oxidation, andionizing radiation. In particular, most plastics will melt
upon heating to a few hundred degrees celsius. While plastics can be made
electrically conductive, with the conductivity of up to 80 kS/cm in stretch-
oriented polyacetylene, they are still no match for most metals like copper which
have conductivities of several hundreds kS/cm.

Increasing Usage of Plastic

In our daily life, plastic made a considerable impact and we are heavily
dependent on plastic. Starting from daily usage utensils to decorative items all are
coming in plastic. The usage of plastic is increasing day by day and researchers are
also trying to develop more durable, less weight, strong plastic to meet today’s
needs. The usage of plastic is increasing exponentially from the last century.
Records showed that the amount of plastic made in the first 10 years of 21stcentury
is equal to the amount of plastic made in the whole 20thcentury. Generally, Plastic
is of two types i.e. high quality plastic and low quality plastic. High quality plastic
is very strong and is generally used for making products like cabins, mobile
and laptop cases etc. Low quality plastic is generally weak and is used for making
utensils, vessels etc.

Plastic is one of the most used materials these days. It is being used in almost
every industry. But along with its advantages, there are lots of disadvantages of
plastic too. Let’s take a look at the positive and negative effects of plastic.

Plastic consumption has grown at a tremendous rate over the past two decades
as plastics now play an important role in all aspects of modern lifestyle. Plastics
are used in the manufacture of numerous products such as protective packaging,
lightweight and safety components in cars, mobile phones, insulation materials in
buildings, domestic appliances, furniture items, medical devices etc. Plastics are
used because they are easy and cheap to make and they can last a long time.
Disposal of plastic waste has emerged as an important environmental challenge
and its recycling is facing roadblocks due to their non-degradable nature. Because
plastic does not decompose biologically, the amount of plastic waste in our
surroundings is steadily increasing. More than 90% of the articles found on the sea
beaches contain plastic. Plastic waste is often the most objectionable kind of litter
and will be visible for months in landfill sites without degrading.
Positive impact of plastic
There are several advantages with plastic which can’t be compared with others.
Plastic is highly durable material and it lasts longer. Another positive thing about
plastic is its ease in converting to required shape. The weight of the plastic is very
less and it is almost as strong as metals. Plastic converted into the shape that
required and they look equally beautiful like glass or other expensive materials.
Unlike glass which has to be handled carefully, it can be roughly use plastic
materials. One more advantage of plastic is it is recyclable. The wear and tear of
plastic parts is very less when compared to other materials available.

Plastic constitutes a noble use of oil, a transformation of the raw material into
products which have become indispensable for our daily lives. Plastics are durable
materials that contribute significantly to energy saving, the manufacture of plastic
articles involving less energy than that necessary for the same production from
traditional materials (consumption reduced overall by fifty per cent).

Plastics are going to play an increasingly important role in responses to the oil
supply crisis which is looming in the next decade or two. They are used as
insulating material, thus significantly improving the overall energy efficiency in
housing. Their lightweight properties reduce fuel consumption in vehicles, planes
and freight transport. They also play a part in the exploitation of renewable energy:

non-corrosive plastics play a major role in the construction of wind turbines

destined for offshore farms; solar panels, made mainly of plastic, enable the
exploitation of solar energy; geothermic pipelines in plastic are used to capture the
natural heat of the Earth. Scientists are currently developing fuel cells with
electrolytes of polymer composition, which should produce practically no green
house gas emissions.

The plastics industry, at least in its final phase of the transformation of base
powders or granules, does not require a large capital investment and is not
restricted to any particular location. It is an activity ideally suited to the
development and stabilization of the economies of non-developed countries and
the creation of employment locally.

Plastics enable very efficient insulation materials to be developed for buildings,

pipework and industrial installations, leading to considerable reductions in
expenditure for heating. Plastic greenhouses are also designed to float when the sea
level rises, thus protecting food supplies.

Plastic is good, light, strong and cheap to produce. There are many advantages
to using plastic. It does not decompose but it can instead be recycled. This is done
more easily than producing more plastic.

Plastic materials show properties that are unique when compared to other
materials-contributing greatly to the quality of our everyday lives. These materials,
when properly applied, will perform functions at a cost that other materials cannot
match.
Plastics can provide many advantages over other materials like:
• lightweight
• high wear resistance;
• high impact resistance;
• less roughness;
• easily processing;
• corrosion resistance and aesthetics;
These benefits lead to the preferable plastics’ usage, because they
give increased productivity, longer life. The new product is reliable, with no
lubrication requirements, significant cost savings provided, less down time and
improved appearance. The polymer products are also preferred because they are
environmentally friendly and easily recycled.
Advantages of plastic:
 Advantages of plastic are light in weight.
 They can be easily moulded and have excellent finishing.
 They possess very good strength and toughness. They possess good shock
absorption capacity.
 Advantages of plastic are corrosion resistant and chemically inert.
 They have low thermal expansion of co-efficient and possess good thermal
and electrical insulating property.
 Advantages of plastic is very good water resistant and possess good
adhesiveness.
 Plastic is strong, good and cheap to produce.
 Plastic is a recycling process and it does not decompose.
 Plastic bottles can be reused and restored over again and again.
 Plastic is one of the unbreakable.
 Plastic is an odourless.
 Plastic is used for building, construction, electronics, packaging (gladwrap)
and transportation industries.
 Used to make - Water bottles, pens, plastic bags, cups etc.
 Advantages of plastic are Very cheap to make.
 Durability
 Strength
 Chemical resistance.
 Advantages of plastic are used to produce another product.
 Used to reduce soil and wind erosion.
Negative impact of plastic
There are some negative things about plastic which has to be considered equally
like advantages. Plastic items can’t tolerate high temperatures and releases harmful
gases (at high temp.) which cause pollution. Plastic is not easily disposable and it
will take thousands of years to completely dispose in soil. This result in other
harmful things like blockage of water (resulting floods), death of animals, birds
because of eating plastic etc. which are serious concerns of several environmental
activists. Even the process of making plastic by industries releases heavy amounts
of carbon dioxide.

There are so many advantages with plastic and it has to be used carefully and
within the limitations to protect environment. Plastic is recyclable and hence
instead of disposing it, everybody must take initiative to recycle so that the effect
of plastic on environment will be less. Recycling of plastic not only helps
environment but also gives you money. Several governments are making
regulatory laws to regulate the use of plastic and several NGO’s from all over the
world are trying to create awareness among people about plastic. Presently plastic
accounts 10% of waste which is a serious concern of several environmental
activists. It has to be reduced substantially for better future.

Plastic pollution involves the accumulation of plastic products in

[1]
the environment that adversely affects wildlife, wildlife, or humans. Many types
and forms of plastic pollution exist. Plastic pollution can adversely affect lands,
waterways and oceans. Plastic reduction efforts have occurred in some areas in
attempts to reduce plastic consumption and promote plastic recycling. The
prominence of plastic pollution is correlated with plastics being inexpensive and
durable, which lends to high levels of plastics used by humans .

Plastic is virtually ubiquitous. It's hard to even glance around a room without
seeing things made wholly or partly out of the substance. While plastic has many
uses in medicine, science, industry and consumer goods, it also has its
disadvantages. Plastic and plastic products can adversely affect human and
environmental health.

The mass use of plastic bags and bottles and plastic in general has had a
negative impact on the environment. Unlike other materials, plastic takes a long
time to decompose, so discarded plastic ends up in waterways, oceans, forests and
other natural habitats. Moreover, animals often mistake plastic items for food,
ingesting them and causing injury or death. Plastic that's incinerated as a method of
disposal also releases harmful, carcinogenic compounds into the air.

Another negative effect of plastic has little to do with human or environmental

health, but is problematic nonetheless. Plastic is often less durable than other
materials, such as wood or metal alloy. Manufacturers may look to plastic to
replace more durable materials to cut costs but will sacrifice quality to do so.
Plastic products may be more prone to breakage or degradation than those made
from sturdier and more expensive materials.

Plastics are manufactured from petroleum. This brings a host of issues

(destruction of habitat, extraction of crude oil, security issues from the volatile
countries where oil is produced, processing of petroleum, chemical manipulation
into various types of plastics). The manufacture involves many chemicals, many of
which have not been sufficiently tested for their toxicological impact on humans or
animals.

The final plastic product is often a chemical entity that in and of itself has had
insufficient toxicological and ecotoxicological testing. An example would be PVC,
forms of which are banned in Europe but exist widely in children's toys in
America. Recent controversies over plastic bottles (many toxicologists
recommending not re-using plastic water bottles and not storing food in
tupperware) have highlighted the potential risks. Exacerbating the problem is that
science is only now advancing to where it can detect plastic components in human
blood and then trace concentrations and link them to human ailments and diseases.

The plastics industry itself often spins plastic and related plastic chemicals into
a variety of products, some of which are hazardous and controversial (Teflon,
PVC, Polyethylene, polystyrene, various silicones in body and hair care). Plastic-
producing companies are often chemical companies or subsidiaries of chemical
companies, both with poor track records when it comes to their adherence to
regulatory compliance and their willingness to perform toxicological analysis on
the products they make.

Plastics often leech component chemicals, including hazardous chemicals,

through common temperature changes. It is for this reason that toxicologists do not
recommend storing very cold foods in plastics or heating foods (microwaving
especially) in plastics.
 Plastics are durable materials. Thus, they are hard to eliminate once used and
create tremendous waste. While some common plastics can be recycled (#1 and #2
plastics used in common soda and milk bottles), the vast majority cannot. They
take up a lot of space in landfills and create air pollution when incinerated.

One of the main disadvantages of Plastics are flammable – This is definitely an

advantage in that they can be melted down, however smoldering plastics can
release toxic fumes into the environment. And, Cost of Recycling – While
recycling is a plus, recycling is a very costly endeavor. Also, Volume – In some
centuries, 20% of our landfill is made up of plastics. As more products are being
made of plastics, where will this lead us in the future?

Moreover, durability – This is an advantage as well as a disadvantage. Plastics are

extremely durable, which means that they last a long time. Those plastics in the
landfill will be there for years.

Plastics make our lives easier; however is their cost on the environment worth it?
We can only hope that soon someone will invent a way to safely and cheaply melt
and reuse plastics.
 Disadvantages of plastics:
 Plastic is a nonrenewable resources.
 Plastic is softness.
 causes CANCER
 Disadvantage of plastics are embitterment at low temperature.
 Disadvantage of plastics are deformation under load.
 Disadvantage of plastics are low heat resistant and poor ductility.
 Disadvantage of plastics are combustibility.
 Produces toxic fumes when it is burnt
 It is a recycle process, but it is very costly.

Types, Categories and Families of Plastics

There are two types of plastics: thermoplastics and thermosetting polymers.
Thermoplastics will soften and melt if enough heat is applied; examples are
polyethylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
Thermosets can melt and take shape once; after they have solidified, they stay
solid.

Plastics can be classified by chemical structure, namely the molecular units that
make up the polymer's backbone and side chains. Some important groups in these
classifications are the acrylics, polyesters, silicones, polyurethanes, and
halogenated plastics. Plastics can also be classified by the chemical process used in
their synthesis, such as condensation, polyaddition, and cross-linking.
Other classifications are based on qualities that are relevant for manufacturing
or product design. Examples of such classes are the thermoplastic and thermsoet,
elastomer, structural, biodegradable, and electrically conductive. Plastics can also
be classified by various physical properties, such as density, tensile strength, glass
transition temperature, and resistance to various chemical products.
Due to their relatively low cost, ease of manufacture, versatility, and
imperviousness to water, plastics are used in an enormous and expanding range of
products, from paper clips to spaceships. They have already displaced many
traditional materials, such as wood; stone; horn and bone; leather; paper; metal;
glass; and ceramic, in most of their former uses.

The use of plastics is constrained chiefly by their organic chemistry, which

seriously limits their hardness, density, and their ability to resist heat, organic
solvents, oxidation, and ionizing radiation. In particular, most plastics will melt or
decompose when heated to a few hundred degrees Celsius. While plastics can be
made electrically conductive to some extent, they are still no match for metals like
copper or aluminum.[citation needed] Plastics are still too expensive to replace
wood, concrete and ceramic in bulky items like ordinary buildings, bridges, dams,
pavement, and railroad ties.

Common thermoplastics range from 20,000 to 500,000 amu, while thermosets

are assumed to have infinite molecular weight. These chains are made up of many
repeating molecular units, known as repeat units, derived from monomers; each
polymer chain will have several thousand repeating units. The vast majority of
plastics are composed of polymers of carbon and hydrogen alone or with oxygen,
nitrogen, chlorine or sulfur in the backbone. (Some of commercial interests are
silicon based.) The backbone is that part of the chain on the main "path" linking a
large number of repeat units together. To customize the properties of a plastic,
different molecular groups "hang" from the backbone (usually they are "hung" as
part of the monomers before linking monomers together to form the polymer
chain). This fine tuning of the properties of the polymer by repeating unit's
molecular structure has allowed plastics to become such an indispensable part of
twenty first-century world.
Some plastics are partially crystalline and partially amorphous in molecular
structure, giving them both a melting points (the temperature at which the
attractive intermolecular forces are overcome) and one or more glass transitions
(temperatures above which the extent of localized molecular flexibility is
substantially increased). The so-called semi-crystalline plastics include
polyethylene, polypropylene, poly (vinyl chloride), polyamides (nylons),
polyesters and some polyurethane. Many plastics are completely amorphous, such
as polystyrene and its copolymers, poly (methyl methacrylate), and all thermosets.

Effect of the Plastic on the environment

Environmental Damage

Plastic bags have been known to cause a lot of environmental damage. A single
plastic bag can take up to 1000 years, to decay completely. This makes the bags
stay in environments longer, in turn leading to great build-up on the natural
landscape (much more than degradable materials like paper). In other words, the
more plastic bags you use, the greater the chances of environmental damage.
Threat To Animal Life

As what come in many studies , as many as 100,000 whales, turtles and birds die
have been reported to die every year, mainly because of plastic in their
environment. Plastic bags not only have adverse effects on our natural habitats, but
have also been found to be responsible for the death of many animals, mainly on
account of the suffocation encountered on eating them.

Suffocation

Not only animals, infants and young children have also been reported to have lost
their life, on account of plastic bags. Since plastic bags are thin and airtight as well,
children often end up blocking their mouths and nostrils with them. In case they
are not being monitored by an adult, this leads to suffocation and, in some cases,
even death.

Pollution

Plastic bags are extremely durable. In case you are thinking of this as an
advantage, just bring to mind an image of the huge landfill that you visited on the
city outskirts, the other day. In most probability, majority of the rubbish present
there will comprise of plastic bags only. In other words, plastic bags have led to a
great increase in the pollution levels.

Fumes

Since plastic bags are not bio-degradable, the only way to get rid of them is to burn
them up. Though lighting a match to them is easy, it has more than its fair share of
disadvantages. The biggest of them is that smoldering plastics can release toxic
fumes into the environment, in turn taking the air pollution to much higher levels.

Non-renewable

One of the main disadvantages of plastic bags is that they are not renewable. The
reason behind this is that they are made of petrochemicals, a non-renewable source
of energy. They can be recycled, but not as easily as paper bags. Plastic bags can
last for as much as hundred of years. In other words, long after you are no more,
the plastic bag used by you will be in existence.

Plastics are manufactured from petroleum. This brings a host of issues (destruction
of habitat, extraction of crude oil, security issues from the volatile countries where
oil is produced, processing of petroleum, chemical manipulation into various types
of plastics). The manufacture involves many chemicals, many of which have not
been sufficiently tested for their toxicological impact on humans or animals.
The final plastic product is often a chemical entity that in and of itself has had
insufficient toxicological and ecotoxicological testing. An example would be PVC,
forms of which are banned in Europe but exist widely in children's toys in
America. Recent controversies over plastic bottles (many toxicologists
recommending not re-using plastic water bottles and not storing food in
tupperware) have highlighted the potential risks. Exacerbating the problem is that
science is only now advancing to where it can detect plastic components in human
blood and then trace concentrations and link them to human ailments and diseases.

The plastics industry itself often spins plastic and related plastic chemicals into a
variety of products, some of which are hazardous and controversial (Teflon, PVC,
Polyethylene, polystyrene, various silicones in body and hair care). Plastic-
producing companies are often chemical companies or subsidiaries of chemical
companies, both with poor track records when it comes to their adherence to
regulatory compliance and their willingness to perform toxicological analysis on
the products they make.

Plastics often leech component chemicals, including hazardous chemicals, through

common temperature changes. It is for this reason that toxicologists do not
recommend storing very cold foods in plastics or heating foods (microwaving
especially) in plastics.

Plastics are durable materials. Thus, they are hard to eliminate once used and
create tremendous waste. While some common plastics can be recycled (#1 and #2
plastics used in common soda and milk bottles), the vast majority cannot. They
take up a lot of space in landfills and create air pollution when incinerated.

Plastic recycling
 Plastic recycling is the process of recovering scrap or waste plastic and
reprocessing the material into useful products, sometimes completely different in
form from their original state. For instance, this could mean melting down soft
drink bottles and then casting them as plastic chairs and tables. However, this kind
of "recycling" is rather a misnomer since plastic beverage bottles (soda, juice,
milk) are never truly reformed into new beverage bottles, as this requires virgin
plastic. So there is actually no true cycle in the "recycling" of plastic beverage
containers, which actually and more precisely should be referred to as
"downcycling".

Plastics are also recycled during the manufacturing process of plastic goods such
as polyethylene film and bags. A percentage of the recycled pellets are then re-
introduced into the main production operation. This closed-loop operation has
taken place since the 1970s and has made the production of some plastic products
amongst the most efficient operations today.

Recycling and reuse of plastics is gaining importance as a sustainable method

for plastic waste disposal. Unfortunately, plastic is much more difficult to recycle
than materials like glass, aluminum or paper. A common problem with recycling
plastics is that plastics are often made up of more than one kind of polymer or
there may be some sort of fibre added to the plastic (a composite). Plastic polymers
require greater processing to be recycled as each type melts at different
temperatures and has different properties, so careful separation is necessary.
Moreover, most plastics are not highly compatible with one another. Apart from
familiar applications like recycling bottles and industrial packaging film, there are
also new developments e.g. the Recovinyl initiative of the PVC industry (covering
pipes, window frames, roofing membranes and flooring).

Polyethlene terephthalate (PET) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) bottles

have proven to have high recyclability and are taken by most curbside and drop-off
recycling programs. The growth of bottle recycling has been facilitated by the
development of processing technologies that increase product purities and reduce
operational costs. Recycled PET and HDPE have many uses and well-established
markets.

In contrast, recycling of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) bottles and other materials is

limited. A major problem in the recycling of PVC is the high chlorine content in
raw PVC (around 56 percent of the polymer’s weight) and the high levels of
hazardous additives added to the polymer to achieve the desired material quality.
As a result, PVC requires separation from other plastics before mechanical
recycling.
Categories of Plastic
Plastic Product Life Cycle
Green manufacturing
The term “green” manufacturing can be looked at in two ways: the
manufacturing of “green” products, particularly those used in renewable energy
systems and clean technology equipment of all kinds, and the “greening” of
manufacturing reducing pollution and waste by minimizing natural resource use,
recycling and reusing what was considered waste, and reducing emissions.

Green Manufacturing: Fundamentals and Applications introduces the basic

definitions and issues surrounding green manufacturing at the process, machine
and system (including supply chain) levels. It also shows, by way of several
examples from different industry sectors, the potential for substantial improvement
and the paths to achieve the improvement. Additionally, this book discusses
regulatory and government motivations for green manufacturing and outlines the
path for making manufacturing more green as well as making production more
sustainable

Green Manufacturing is a method for manufacturing that minimizes waste and

pollution. It slows the depletion of natural resources as well as lowering the
extensive amounts of trash that enter landfills. Its emphasis is on reducing parts,
rationalizing materials, and reusing components, to help make products more
efficient to build.

“Green Manufacturing Is A Strategic Priority. ”Why do we need Green

Manufacturing? Is it just a fad? Or is it an increasing trend with the manufacturing
sector, politically, financially or socially motivated? These questions also need to
be answered if we need to understand the basis, popularity and market need for
Green Manufacturing.

Green Manufacturing is more than just a fad. This phase, kick-started by

Germany in the late 1980’s – early 1990’s, is here to stay. The concept of Green
Manufacturing has its roots from Germany that requires importing companies to
take responsibility and remove any packaging materials used for that product. In
fact, the Germans have established a de facto global manufacturing standard
instilling that, “any company wishing to compete globally must start making
products that will comply with the green dictates of the huge European market.”

Green Manufacturing involves not just the use of environmental design of

products, use of environmentally friendly raw materials, but also eco-friendly
packing, distribution, and destruction or reuse after the lifetime of the product.
 Sustainable (Green) Design: The interdependence of the built and natural
environments; it seeks to harness natural energy flows and biological processes,
eliminate reliance on fossil fuels and toxic materials, and improve resource
efficiency. Land use and community planning are also of primary importance.

This process is the answer to a need of the global community – for cleaner air,
water and earth, while at the same time, not having to compromise on quality and
quantity of services, products and technology. Looking at it from a global
perspective of population growth, total emissions, rainforest depletion and all the
other maladies afflicting the earth, "it’s pretty easy to see that in the next 50 years
there are going to be major disasters," and "To keep things the way they are right
now, the environmental impact has to be reduced by something on the order of a
factor of 10."

No other sector of the economy comes close to the manufacturing sector in

generating vast volumes of waste. The Europeans have already implemented take-
back laws for autos, electronics and appliances. The rest of the world is fast
catching up and the only solution for the manufacturers is to find alternate ways of
production and alternate resources to use.

Green Manufacturing is more than using environmentally friendly resources – it

is based on “Manufacturing for Reuse”. “Design for Disassembly”, as it is
otherwise called is, as stated by Bylinsky, “The goal is to close the production
loop, to conceive, develop, and build a product with a long-term view of how its
components can be refurbished and reused at the end of the product’s life.”

Part consolidation is also an aspect of Design for Disassembly. Since there are
fewer pieces to manufacture, energy costs in production are saved. Industry
Weeks states, “Design for Disassembly is one way that we’re trying to make
products more environmentally responsible. It’s designing the product so that it
can be disassembled inexpensively. If we can’t do that, we’ll never get anywhere
in the recycling process.”

This process is already being actively used in the American Car manufacturing
industry and in several Polymer manufacturing units.

Another new concept that grew out of Green Manufacturing is Green Auditing,
where we take into account the cost of environmental losses and resource depletion
to measure absolute welfare.
References
1- "Plastic pollution". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 1
August 2013.
2- Daniel D. Chiras (2004). Environmental Science:
Creating a Sustainable Future. Jones & Bartlett
Learning. pp. 517-518. ISBN 0763735698.
3- What is Green Engineering, US Environmental
Protection Agenc.
4- "Historical Overview and Industrial Development".
International Furan Chemicals, Inc. Retrieved 4 May
2014.
5- Life cycle of a plastic product. Americanchemistry.com.
Retrieved on 2011-07-01.