Journals Proceedings

International Journal of Civil & Structural Engineering

A Cursory View of Plastic Applications in Four Consumption Sectors

Author(s) : EMMANUEL BAFFOUR-AWUAH, STEPHEN AKINLABI, TIEN-CHIEN JEN

Abstract

The challenges and negative externalities associated with the use of plastics have come to greater light as a result of the extensive use and applications of the product. Waste management, sanitation, health and environmental problems are all over constituting nuisance, overshadowing the numerous benefits of plastics in variegated types of consumption sectors. This review paper commences with the negative externalities of plastics. It then delves into the benefits, uses and applications of plastics with particular reference to health, automobile, food packaging and building and construction sectors. The paper observes that negative externalities of plastics can be reduced to the minimum through the use of technology. In designing plastic waste-reduction technologies, one of the biorelated technologies that came into sharp focus, apart from bio-based and biodegradable plastics is biofiber-plastic composite technology. As a relatively new area of study, the paper recommends that both industry players and researchers should collaborate to advance in this area of research.

No fo Author(s) : 3
Page(s) : 122-134
Electronic ISSN : 2372-3971
Volume 6 : Issue 2
Views : 285   |   Download(s) : 133