| The market for plastic packaging materials has | | | | now used in a lot of high class restaurants for |
| grown substantially in the last decade and by the | | | | takeaways such as Wagamamma's. |
| end of 2009 was estimated to be worth $16 | | | | The social cost |
| billion dollars. Even conservative observers | | | | Although cost of plastic packing materials to |
| estimate that the market will grow to over $20 | | | | businesses has fallen in recent years, many argue |
| million in 4 years or more. | | | | that the cost to the environment has increased. |
| Why the sudden growth? | | | | Litter is now become a problem in towns and |
| There are many reasons why the plastics market | | | | cities throughout most industrially mature |
| has grown and will continue to grow for the | | | | countries. The costs incurred with cleaning up this |
| foreseeable future. One of the more prevalent is | | | | mess is estimated to run into the billions |
| the rise of the internet shopping, which has fuelled | | | | throughout the world and seems likely it will |
| a large proportion of growth. | | | | increase if the current growth in plastic packing |
| The manufacturing of the materials used in this | | | | continues. Animals often take the brunt of the |
| type of packaging has improved exponentially in | | | | litter. Fish can get tangled up in it and die, or die |
| the last decade. Most factories can now produce | | | | from the pollutants caused by plastics entering |
| two or three times as much as they were once | | | | their ecosystem. |
| able, in part due the spread of Japanese business | | | | The pollutants produced through the creation of |
| philosophies such as MUDA. As simple supply and | | | | plastic packaging materials also come under |
| demand economics dictates, this vast increase in | | | | attack. The production process requires the |
| production capability has lead to downward | | | | burning of vast amounts of chemicals at high |
| pressure on the price of plastic packaging | | | | heats, some of which evaporate into the |
| materials. | | | | atmosphere and return as acid rain. As most of |
| The boom of fast food eateries up and down the | | | | the production tends to happen in 3rd world |
| country has also contributed for an increase in | | | | countries, procedure can be quite lax and |
| demand for plastic materials. Once only the | | | | regulations often ignored if it makes financial |
| associated with lower class establishments such | | | | sense to do so. |
| as McDonald's, plastic packaging containers are | | | | |