Plastic vs. Glass – Why Plastic Containers Are Better

Derrick Lin

Global

Clean The Ocean – Biodegradable Cleaning Agent designed by KOREFE. Kolle Rebbe Form und Entwicklung

Written by Katherine Golovinova, Marketing manager of Allinpackaging creative packaging.

From an environmental point of view, most people have already got their answer in mind when it comes to using plastic or paper, the answer of which is neither, but what about plastic or glass? While some people still think that glass is better than plastic because of its eco-friendliness, plastic has its fair share of fans too, mainly because of one reason. Plastic and glass are both recyclable, but since glass can only be recycled and turned into more glass, it limits its options. On the other hand, since plastic loses its integrity, it can be recycled into a number of products from carpet filling to plastic lumber and so on.

Russian Vodka Bottle designed by Elena Esaulova

Disadvantages of Glass Packaging
While glass is used in supermarkets and stores to package food stuff such as, oils, spices and so on, when it comes to packaging perishables for the long-haul, it does have its drawbacks. The following are some of the disadvantages of using glass for packaging.

Weight
First of all, glass is heavier than plastic. This means that more trips are required when transporting packaged goods. This, also in turn, means a greater environmental impact. Not only is glass heavier, it is also heavy for the end consumer who needs to carry what they have purchased from point A (the superstore) to point B (their home).

Fragile
Fragile takes on a whole new meaning when using glass containers for storing food items. As we have all learnt from an early age, glass has a tendency of smashing easily, which means that if a glass bottle or canister is knocked accidently on the floor it will break easily, leaving a mess behind. Apart from that, glass is also more slippery to the touch as compared to plastic. This means that it is more likely to be dropped than a plastic container or other packaging material.

Unsafe
Glass is also more dangerous when broken as compared to other packaging material. Broken glass can cut a person’s skin and can at times, also be life threatening. This is a danger that is very true for those working in factories, shops and even transportation and packaging operative who are responsible in handling them.

rivelles designed by Nadia Rivelles

Types of Plastic Containers
Plastic containers come in several types. Some of the styles that they can be found in are Boston rounds, cylinders, jugs, modern rounds, oblongs, packers, squares, straight sided rounds, vials, wide mouth rounds. This kind of variety makes it a better choice for those with different storing needs. The following are some examples of plastic containers used in everyday life.

Plastic Canisters
Unlike cardboard boxes, plastic canisters don’t get damaged with water or heat. In addition, plastic canisters are also air tight, so long as the lid is kept closed. This helps in keeping whatever is inside fresh and allows people to store items in bulk without the fear of the contents getting stale. Additionally, clear plastic canisters are often preferred because it is easier to identify what is stored inside them without the need to open the lid.

Plastic Bottles
Plastic bottles are containers that are made from a polymer resin which is similar to polyester and is used to store water or other liquids. The main reason why plastic bottles are preferred is because they are light weight, which makes them easier to carry around. Plastic bottles are also exceedingly durable, which means they can be dropped without breaking.

And finally, plastics in general provide brilliant thermal insulation. This means that the liquids inside a plastic bottle can keep their temperature better than in containers made of other materials. This makes plastic bottles an excellent choice for storing cold or hot liquids.

Plastic Trays
Whether using a tray for the school canteen or in the baking and food service industry, living up to certain hygiene standards is a must. One of the best ways of maintaining good hygiene is by using plastic trays to store, transport or distribute cooked goods. Plastic trays are gaining in popularity because they can be used, washed and reused multiple times. Because it provides the users with a form of cheap maintenance, businesses in the food industry can avoid spending extra money on buying new trays to replace their old ones.

Plastic Food Containers
Almost everyone has had the unfortunate experience of having to smell an unpleasant odor after opening their fridge. The unpleasant odor is caused by food that has gone bad, one of the many advantages of storing your food items in good quality plastic containers is that it is able to keep the stench of bad food inside the container.

Keeping food properly sealed so that it is able to remain fresh for longer is just one of the benefits of using plastic food containers. While using a plastic food container, one can either store perishables by freezing them or cook food and then store it. The food can always be thawed later on and reheated in the microwave oven.

Benefits
The following are some of the benefits of using plastics for storing and packaging food.

Extra Storage
Plastic containers allow you to buy food in bulk, which allows you to save money and get access to discounts and other price reductions that come along with buying in bulk.

Absorption of Flavors
When plastic is used to store perishable items, it is able to absorb the smells and tastes of them, which means that foods with strong flavors, such as curry or tomato soup can be stored without its odor spreading throughout the whole fridge.

Advertising Your Brand
Plastic packaging materials are the most common materials that are used for branding strategies mainly because they are easier to print on. Since the printing on plastics can be done easily, it diminishes the cost and offers a packing solution that enables you to promote your brand as well.

Plastics are Recyclable
Over forty percent of the plastic made is recycled, as compared to only twenty percent of glass containers. Recycling of glass has peaked since the mid nineties, and the percentage of glass being recycled each year has declined, while the recycling of plastic is growing.


About the author
Katherine Golovinova is the Marketing manager of Allinpackaging creative packaging.
You can connect with her on Google+.


  1. HAHAH no shit only X whatever percent of glass is recycled, you dont need to recycle glass, what a dumb comparisson.
    Extra Storage: thats just an advantage of any container.
    Absorption of Flavors: uh oh! You just pointed out a major disadvantage of plastic, it absords, reacts with the food, that doesnt happen with glass.

    i realize this is a website selling branded plastic, so this will be promptly deleted, idk how i even got here anyways, cheers

  2. I honestly want to fight whoever wrote this. Do you know what the conditions of our oceans are because of plastic? Do you give two shits about plastic pollution and the marine life affected

  3. Article should do positives and negatives of both, does not mention negatives of plastic, such as chemical leaching and toxicity issues. Recycling plastic also releases large amounts of toxins into the air, studies have shown that communities near plastic recycling facilities have elevated rates of cancer.

  4. A major benefit of storing and drinking water from glass bottle is that glass does not absorb any chemicals due to the its non-reactive nature, and secondly glass bottles are easier to clean.

  5. What a shame, the whole article is totally biased towards plastic because Katherine Golovinova has a vested interest in the company which produces plastic packaging.

  6. I fail to see how absorption of flavours is a positive of plastic? Surely that then suggests that you are likely ingesting components of plastic?

    It's 2019, the world is increasingly plastic aware and all you've done in this article is list disadvantages of glass (disadvantageous to your profit making, perhaps?) and advantages of plastic. Remarkably poor form.

  7. The thickness of plastic makes it highly durable and it could be used to package wide range of product. In a similar manner thin plastic containers could be utilised for storing items over the shelf, which helps in generating higher revenue per square feet for retail stores.

  8. This article couldn't be more pro-plastic if it tried. The total lack of balance makes me want to put everything into glass containers and throw all the plastic out.

  9. In my opinion glass is more sustainable as compared to plastic, due to the fact that it is more durable as compared to plastic and can last for longer duration of time making it an ideal choice for people looking for reusable container for liquids. Another aspect which makes glass more sustainable is the fact that it can be cleaned easily, quickly, and sterilised using boiling water, which enhances the reusable properties of glass.
    Premium vials understands the importance of such concerns and offers its customer packaging options that are not just of premium quality and robust but also eco-friendly.

  10. In past few years the rapid growth of plastic packaging wastage has led towards emergence of a very common chemical BPA in more than 80% of teenagers. This is a very dangerous chemical and can have serious impact over children and might even lead to some serious health related issues.

  11. I would recommend glass due to the fact that they are more sustainable as compared to plastic. Along, with that glass is more durable and can last for years, thereby making it an ideal choice for consumer searching for a reusable container for their liquids. Moreover, glass also does not contain any form of potential harmful chemical like plastic bottles. Lastly, glass itself well to recycling, which in turn further boosts the environmental credentials of the material. If you are looking for glass bottles, glass vials and other wide range of premium quality glass material visit Premium Vials, we offer wide range of packaging solutions.

  12. The physical properties and characteristics make it different from each other.But if you are looking for a packaging solution then one can use ISM packaging staplers and staples that are easily to use and affordable.

  13. Excellent article.very interesting to read. I really love to read such a nice article. Thank you so much for providing the important information

  14. One of the difficult tasks that almost every university student has to complete is writing an essay. Such a task includes the introduction of their own assessments on a specific issue. Also, a student ought to totally save the scientific piece of the work.

  15. Popcorns are eaten at the time of the movie, and people also like them at different events. IN COVID-19, you can print health precautions and other messages on the popcorn boxes and spread the knowledge among popcorn lovers.

  16. Nice Article you shared I do also prefer plastic over glass especially for the reason that plastic is recyclable more times as compared to glass.

  17. A separate problem is microplastic. According to international classification, any plastic particle less than 5 mm in length falls into this category. There is no minimum size: particles are found less than one nanometer (billionth of a meter). Microplastic is divided into primary and secondary. Primary is most often fibers added to synthetic clothing. When rubbing on a surface or washing, thousands of fibers are separated from it,
    “hanging” in the air or washed into the sewer.

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Derrick Lin

Global