Prastic - A wonderful invention (2/2)

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Furthermore, a research company predicts that foods now packed in steel cans will also eventually be packed in plastic containers. These will weigh less than steel and will not use up precious natural resources. Business and consumers benefit from the many advantages of plastic.

Not only private industry but also the Army is testing the uses of plastic in the form of helmets, bulletproof vests, plastic car engines, jet planes with partly plastic wings, and plastic parts on submarines.

In the field of medical science, amazing progress has been made with plastic in recent years. Many defective organs of the body can now be replaced by artificial ones made mostly of plastic. The possibilities are really endless and exciting. Artificial hearts, as well as knees, hips, and other joints have already becomes a reality. Biomedical engineers are doing more and more research in this area.

One serious problem with plastic is the fact that it is not biodegradable - that is, it does not decompose. Even after years of being in a garbage dump, plastic remain plastic. Currently, however, researchers are working on biodegradable plastic, which will reduce the amount of garbage generated. Biodegradable plastic will also be recyclable into new plastic products. The amount of garbage will be further reduced when plastic can be used over and over again.

We can easily see that people will use plastic for a long, long time. Doctors, plumbers, and people everywhere benefit from using plastic in one form or another. The plastic industry continues to grow, because there are always new ways to use this material. Without a doubt, the Plastic Age is with us.

active plastic

Prastic - A wonderful invention (1/2)

Man has lived in the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, and now we are in the Plastic Age. When plastic was a new material, it was cheap both in quality and in cost. Anything made of plastic was usually an inferior copy of a stronger, higher-quality item. Older adults can recall the poor-quality toys, handbags, shower curtains, shoes, etc., that were made in large numbers after World War II.

Today, however, the value of plastic has changed completely, because scientists have learned better ways to make a wide variety of quality plastics. It is currently possible to manufacture plastic so strong and so versatile that it can replace steel, aluminum, glass, and even paper. American automobile manufacturers are planning to make cars with plastic bumpers and fenders in the near future. Japanese auto makers are working on plastic car windows. These have the advantage of not only being lighter but also reflecting heat better than glass. Ultimately, any metal car parts will no doubt be replaced by plastic. With the use of plastic, rust problems will be eliminated, and repairs should be less expensive.

Food companies are also working with plastic for packaging their products. Many are putting precooked food into plastic bags that can be heated in either microwave or conventional ovens. One company now uses a squeezable plastic bottle for ketchup, making it easy to use up all the ketchup. In the conventional glass bottle, it was nearly impossible to get out all the ketchup. The plastic container is a little more expensive than the glass bottle, but shipping costs are lower because plastic weighs less. Another important point about plastic is that it does not break.

(to be continued...)