Some Non-plastic Materials and Their Environmental Impacts

This chapter provides an overview of alternative materials to plastic and their impact on the environment. Within the scope of this book, this chapter is intended to inform alternative materials selection on a more in-depth basis beyond simply avoiding plastics. Understanding some of the processes which go into producing materials that are commonly used as alternatives to plastics is important when comparing other materials with plastics. The chapter also looks at some applications where sustainable plastics such as recycled plastics may serve as more sustainable alternatives to other materials conventionally used in such applications.