Why Opt for a Plastic Jar?
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Photo by Will PateWhile a strong argument can be made for the use of glass packaging, plastic is the better choice. Plastic development has led to many advances in the material used and has allowed us to enjoy convenience, safety, functionality, and improved consumer products over the years. And in the area of the plastic jar, there is no exception. Along with the advancements in technology – making computers smaller and lighter, making vehicles lighter and more efficient, and creating protective gear for many purposes – plastic has been paramount in changing our society and the way we live. Plastic jars have reshaped the way in which we use and keep products; it has been a simple change for the better.
There is no argument that there are many benefits to using glass containers. As the only packaging that is deemed GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) by the FDA, glass has strong support. It is safe for the environment and easily recyclable. It has been used for years and has been proven to maintain the healthiness and integrity of the beverages and foods that it holds. It has excellent clarity; the shape and feel are very pleasing to consumers. But there are just some things that make glass the inferior choice to plastic.
If we are comparing notes on pros and cons, who would win? Many companies and industries have made the switch to plastic for several reasons. Plastic is very easily recycled, just as glass is, but the question isn’t just one of ease in the processing. To fully judge which is better, think about the consumer who is asked to recycle. Plastic is much lighter than glass so taking 50-100 bottles into a recycling center is not a huge ordeal whereas with glass, you will need to take it in smaller loads and expend much more energy and time doing so. Glass being the heavier material will also add weight to the car used to carry these heavy loads to the recycling center, cutting down on fuel efficiency and defeating the purpose of reducing the carbon footprint.
While the clarity, feel, and shape of glass is very pleasing and, as some would argue, unparalleled, plastic does come in a pretty close second and the argument can be made that it has overtaken the competition in other ways. Plastic can be infused with any color imaginable; it can be opaque, translucent, or completely transparent. While the clarity of transparent plastic does suffer a bit from the material’s quality, plastic can be molded into any shape quite easily. Not only can the clear plastic jar be in any shape, but also can be used in a much different fashion than its glass counterpart. When it comes to condiments, glass cannot be squeezed for the very last drop; plastic can. Imagine you are in a burger place in the 1950s or 1960s; you would be shaking, tapping, and slapping the glass ketchup bottle, shoving a utensil into it, doing whatever you could to get that one little bit of ketchup onto your plate from a full jar. Not so with plastic; simply squeeze and your task is done.
