The Untapped Potential of Plastics

Ever since plastics came into widespread use, people have harbored mixed feelings about them. And there's also a paradox: Even though they degrade quite slowly (what should be a beneficial characteristic), their potential for durability and flexibility in our physical environments, has long been overlooked. Meanwhile, the proliferation of disposable product has certainly not helped their reputation. Indeed: Given how long plastics have already been with us, I'm surprised that the term "single use" has only now become a "word of the year". Alas, plastics play an outsized role in products which are only intended for a brief use. Where, exactly, do we still have ample space to throw things away?

Nevertheless, despite the recent rush to create biodegradable products, it helps to remember the kinds of products we don't necessarily want to dispose of - at least in the short or medium term. Even though biodegradable material makes sense for disposable plates and the like, it's not necessarily a good idea for products that need to last for a longer duration such as housing and automobiles. Anyone who lives in areas prone to flooding or insect infestations, knows the drawbacks of wood and wood based products as "permanent" parts of a home's structure, for example. Equally problematic are the biodegradable products being utilized for automotive parts, since rodents find these products suitable for consumption! And granted, even though squirrels have already been known to destroy (expensive) parts under the hood, some are convinced that biodegradable materials for this purpose, simply makes things worse.

More companies than ever are responding to the fact that plastic has been ending up in too many of the wrong places, such as our oceans. Is it possible, given this scenario, to reclaim the value of plastics which could be put to more durable and long lasting use? Plastic building components could especially help those who lack the ability to rebuild on traditional terms after natural disasters. Components which are both strong and lightweight, would also be a tremendous plus for those who need to renovate deteriorating structures but presently lack the physical capacity (or other resources) to undertake extensive renovation.

Plastics still have considerably more potential for widespread use than is recognized, especially for anyone seeking viable alternatives to the high costs of traditional building methods. Chances are, durable forms of plastic could play a role in more flexible forms of infrastructure. One apt example is the need to create environmental options for what are now growing shortages of sand that binds well for concrete. Might it be possible to combine methods of 3D manufacture and landfill alternatives to create building components and flexible forms of infrastructure? Perhaps the plastics which can't readily be used for recycle could be compressed inside of 3D print frames which in turn could serve either as walls for housing, or even walking paths. For that matter, there may be entrepreneurs and STEM graduates working on such challenges, even as this post was being written. I certainly hope so. After all, living in uncertain times makes some of us wish we were decades younger, so that we too could also be actively pursuing such possibilities.