Insight Focus
Plastics are versatile materials widely used across many industries, including packaging. PS, PE, PP, PET and PVC account for a significant portion of global plastic production. Despite increasing regulations, recycled plastics remain a small fraction, while global plastic production and use are expected to continue growing in the coming decades.
Plastics are synthetic materials made primarily from petroleum or natural gas, composed of long polymer chains that provide flexibility, strength and durability. Their versatility and wide range of properties allow plastics to be engineered for numerous everyday applications.
PS, PE, PP, PVC and PET represent around 60% of global plastics production. These are the ones most prevalent and whose properties make them suitable for use in solving many needs in our daily lives.
Polystyrene
Polystyrene (PS) is a versatile plastic that can be rigid or foamed, exhibiting a broad spectrum of properties based on its structural composition. It is derived from the monomer styrene, a liquid hydrocarbon that is commercially manufactured from petroleum. In the presence of a catalyst, styrene molecules link together (polymerise) to form polystyrene.
This plastic comes in three main types: General Purpose Polystyrene (GPPS), High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS), and Expanded Polystyrene (EPS).
- GPPS, also called Crystal PS, is a hard, clear plastic used when transparency is needed, such as in labware and food packaging.
- HIPS is a tougher, opaque plastic made by adding rubbery polybutadiene to polystyrene, commonly used for appliance housings and toys.
- EPS is a lightweight, insulating foam widely used extensively in packaging and insulation.
Polystyrene usually takes the form of a solid and is often transported as pellets or beads, in bags ranging from 25kg to big bags and bulk containers.
Polyethylene
Polyethylene represents a diverse family of resins with a broad range of applications. It is synthesised from the gaseous monomer ethylene. The ethylene molecules are polymerised — that is, linked together to form long chains, thereby creating polyethylene. It generally takes a solid form and is transported as pellets or granules.
Polyethylene comes in several forms: high-density (HDPE), low-density (LDPE), and linear low-density (LLDPE), differing in how the ethylene molecules are linked together during the polymerisation process.
- HDPE has minimal branching, making it hard, opaque, and heat-resistant—used for detergent bottles, milk jugs, beverage crates and water pipes.
- LDPE has significant branching, creating a flexible, loosely packed structure—common in plastic bags and films.
- LLDPE has a mostly straight molecular structure with a few small branches. This gives it properties that fit in between HDPE and LDPE— resulting in a robust yet flexible material. As a result, it’s well-suited for products like stretch wraps, plastic films and bags.
Polypropylene
Polypropylene is a versatile thermoplastic polymer derived from the polymerisation of propylene, a gaseous monomer. It is a solid plastic, usually white or off-white, though it can be coloured, and is typically transported in the form of pellets or granules. As with other polymers, variations in properties such as density, strength and flexibility determine the specific applications of its different grades. Polypropylene is widely used in food packaging, automotive parts, textiles, engine components and medical devices.
Polypropylene (PP) can exist as a homopolymer, random copolymer or block copolymer, each with distinct properties and applications:
- Homopolymers are stiff and resistant to heat and chemicals, commonly used in injection moulding such as automotive parts and caps, as well as blow moulding, films, fibres, extrusion and thermoforming.
- Random copolymers are more flexible and transparent with improved optical properties, making them ideal for transparent packaging, housewares, thin-wall moulding, films and stationery.
- Block copolymers combine toughness and ease of processing due to their mix of crystalline and amorphous regions, making them suitable for automotive and industrial applications.
Polyethylene Terephthalate
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) holds a pivotal position in the plastic industry as a widely used polyester, most commonly associated with water bottles. It is synthesised from two monomers—terephthalic acid, a solid, and monoethylene glycol, a liquid—which are chemically reacted to produce PET. The resulting material is a solid, typically transported in the form of pellets or granules.
PET has excellent wear resistance, good gas barrier properties, and high transparency, making it ideal for packaging. Beyond packaging, lower-density fibre-grade PET—known as polyester—is used in textiles and valued for its strength, light weight and resistance to water and UV rays. PET grades mainly differ in intrinsic viscosity (IV), which reflects molecular weight. Higher IV grades produce more rigid products like bottles and automotive parts, while lower IV grades are easier to process and used for fibres and films.
PET exists in two main forms: amorphous PET (APET) and crystalline PET (CPET).
APET is clear and strong, making it ideal for manufacturing bottles, food trays and packaging. CPET, on the other hand, is commonly used for food packaging designed to be used in the microwave or oven. Its partial crystallisation during production gives it an opaque finish and a durable structure that maintains its shape during reheating. Additionally, CPET provides an effective barrier against oxygen, water, carbon dioxide and nitrogen, and can withstand temperatures from -40°C to +220°C.
Polyvinyl Chloride
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is one of the most widely used plastics globally due to its versatility, strength and long service life. It is used in a broad range of applications across construction, healthcare, electronics, packaging and consumer goods.
PVC is made from two main raw materials: salt and hydrocarbons such as ethylene. Around 57% of its molecular structure comes from chlorine derived from salt, with the remaining 43% from hydrocarbon feedstocks. As a result, PVC is significantly less dependent on oil than many other common plastics, and bio-based alternatives to ethylene are increasingly being developed.
PVC is produced in two main forms: rigid (uPVC) and flexible (plasticised PVC).
- Rigid PVC is strong and weather-resistant, making it ideal for construction materials such as pipes, window frames, doors and roof membranes.
- Flexible PVC, made by adding plasticisers, is soft and elastic. It is widely used in medical products like blood bags and tubing, electrical cable insulation, flooring and synthetic leather.
PVC offers several benefits: it is flame-retardant, chemically resistant, lightweight and an excellent electrical insulator. Its compatibility with a wide range of additives allows it to be tailored to specific performance requirements across industries.
Looking Ahead…
Global plastics production has already doubled in less than two decades, rising from 234 million tonnes in 2000 to 460 million tonnes in 2019, according to the OECD.
This growth is projected to continue, with production expected to reach 736 million tonnes by 2040 — a 70% increase from 2020 levels. Plastic use is also projected to grow significantly over the coming decades, driven by continued demand in OECD countries and rapid expansion in emerging economies across Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.
Source: OECD
At the same time, the share of recycled plastics in global production is projected to remain low. By 2040, the OECD estimates that only around 6% of total plastic production will come from recycled sources, despite ongoing legislative efforts worldwide. But the EU’s Single-Use Plastics Directive (2019) and expanding EPR schemes aim to reduce waste and increase producer responsibility.
And similar measures are emerging globally: Canada has banned certain single-use plastics, India is phasing out plastic carry bags, US states and cities are introducing bans and EPR laws, and China has restricted plastic imports and introduced domestic anti-pollution policies.
While regulation is increasing, enforcement, infrastructure gaps and limited global coordination continue to hinder large-scale progress. These developments indicate a future in which global plastics production continues to expand, alongside evolving regulatory frameworks and material flows shaped by both market demand and policy intervention.
