Sustainability in the Custom Plastics Industry
Plastic has come under increasing scrutiny in recent decades as environmental concerns and outdated views of the plastics industry have given rise to a negative perception of this valuable and versatile material. The plastics industry as a whole, and certainly the custom plastics industry, is committed to sustainability and works hand in hand with manufacturing partners to promote sustainability whenever possible.
What Are Custom Plastics?
In brief, custom plastics are parts and products which are fabricated with careful consideration of product and mold design, material selection, and a manufacturing process carefully planned to complement those choices. Custom plastics production allows us to work with you, our customers, as a team to match our expertise in plastics design and fabrication with your knowledge of requirements and preferences to create products that meet or exceed your needs.
Sustainability in Custom Plastics Design
When designing custom plastic parts and products, and the molds that will produce them, special consideration must be given to sustainability concerns. While injection molding is, naturally, a low-waste process, that is only one contribution to sustainability. Some ways to encourage sustainable custom plastics design include:
- Choosing sustainable materials, including recycled resins, renewable plastics, and bioplastics
- Designing products for easy reuse or recycling
- Considering the impact of single-use packaging and designing accordingly
- Using 3D printing for prototyping to reduce waste and to minimize mid-production adjustments
Sustainability in Manufacturing Custom Plastics
The manufacturing process for custom plastics should also involve sustainability efforts. At our New Jersey facility, we have renovated our buildings to use LED lighting, collected rainwater, have installed efficient equipment throughout, and whenever possible, we recycle or reuse any wasted materials.
At Bennett Plastics, we know the path to the future for the custom plastics industry means shared steps towards greater sustainability, and we're doing our part. Contact us today to learn more about our sustainability initiatives and our full range of plastics manufacturing capabilities.
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