Advantages for plastics in the packaging industry are enormous -- with their ability to reduce weight versus comparative glass or metal packaging. The ability of manufacturers to form a variety of shapes and designs in plastic packaging versus other materials is an added advantage. However one of the biggest challenges remain the drive for sustainability – with the UAE's government taking a tough environmental stance on the use of plastic bags. The drive for oxo-biodegradable solutions is more alive than ever. The government has already banned the use of plastic bags in some areas of the country and a more comprehensive ban will be enforced by end of 2013. Manufacturers and users of packaging materials need to consider various other sustainable factors such as lighter transportation weight, better resistance towards micro-organisms for a longer shelflife and good recyclability.
There are many other challenges confronting the plastics industry as far as packaging is concerned -- factors that more than meet the eye, and certainly more than design and weight. In all these challenges, the leading the innovations are the many producers of raw materials whose innovations are expected to eventually lead to more sustainable packaging that will benefit the consumers and the environment as well.
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