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■ Future of Plastic＞Issues about Plastic

The plastics are great!

	Mr.Usukawa, why is the plastics used so in large numbers?
	Because those are chemically stable merits which it is light, low price, easy to treat, to stable chemically and to easy mass production.
	The plastics are great! Aren't those?
	Although it seems that there is much virtue in plastics, what is the first merit?
	A deflection is being able to make the plastics of a required property according to the purpose or a use.
	I see! That is an appeal that only they have.
	I am proud of that I am a plastic.
	Sae, Mr.Tic, when is it that a plastic came to be used?
	Well…
	Its answer is about the middle of the 20th century.
	Is it around 1950?
	That's right. But, at first the plastics were used instead of wood and metal.
	Those are used a lot now!
	Yes, plastics became an outstanding material which can be used for various uses as various kinds of plastics were developed.
	Exactly！The plastics are used for many things in our daily life.
	Right! I cannot imagine in the world without plastics.
	I think so too. It is thanks to a plastic that we can buy various kinds of food and drinks at a convenience store.
	I see! If there is no packing container made in the plastic, we can't save food sanitarily for a long time.
	We will become very inconvenient if there is no plastics.
	Mr.Usukawa, does plastic have only the strong points?
	Well, in fact, it is not such a thing.
	Really? Is that right?
	Since the plastics sticks and contributes to my life, it is deeply related also to a resources problem, or an environmental problem and a waste problem.
	The plastics have not only strong points , but also various serious problems….
	I feel sorry as a plastic.
	Using the strong point of a plastic efficiently to the utmost, we should contrive so that its shortcoming may become the minimum.
	I see. That's true!

The shortcoming of plastics

	Mr.Usukawa,I would like to know about the demerit of the plastics.
	First of all, I will make the talk about the safety of plastics.
	Safety? Are the plastics dangerous?
	No, since a plastic is a stable substance, there is no uneasy of having a bad influence on my healthy fundamentally.
	What kind of occasion are they less safe?
	It is when there's a problem in the production method of a plastic and in the usage of plastics.
	The usage of plastics?
	Yes. It is necessary to use the plastic correctly.
	What kind of usage is it, for example?
	For example, how to make a PET bottle is different by the kind of drink included in inside.
	Now that you've mentioned it, you're right. Some have square hollows and bottom such as the rocket…
	That's true! There are hard , soft, and other various PET bottles, aren't there? 」
	That's right.If they have bad material or a bad method of structure, they may do harm to a human body, without the ability to bear heat and pressure.

Plastics and the resources problem

	Mr.Usukawa, are the plastics made of oil?
	Yes, you really know well. In fact, that is a because for being concerned with a resources problem.
	Please tell me in detail.
	A plastic is made from naphtha among the petroleum products made from crude oil. By heating and disassembling the naphtha, we make basic petrochemical products. And we make a plastic from them.
	As for them, how much quantity is produced in Japan for a year?
	Mr.Tic, do you think that it is how much?
	I think it is about… 100 million kg?
	A correct answer is about 10,920,000t!
	There are too many for me to imagine!
	But I heard the oil disappears sometime.
	That’s right. Although there are various opinions, we are not necessarily forever used in the oil.
	I see… A deflection is a resources problem which the plastic has.

The plastics and an environmental problem

	Mr.Usukawa, what is the environmental problem of the plastics said a while ago?
	Because the plastics is a stable substance, if abandoning it in a spontaneously, it will remain into a habitat forever.
	I see. They are not broken down, aren't they?
	Yes. A plastic is stable material. But it may pollute environment. It is because a plastic will change to harmful material or a toxic substance will ooze from the inside of a plastic, if a plastic is exposed to sunlight or wind and rain for a long time.
	I see. A plastic is convenient material. However, we must be cautious also of the management after using enough.

A plastic and a waste problem

	Next, I talk about the waste problem of a plastic.
	What kind of recycling is carried out now?
	There are three. They are "material recycle", "chemical recycling", and "thermal recycling."
	I have heard neither. Mr.Tic, how about you?
	I have not heard it, either.
	I will teach about "material recycle" today.
	Thank you for your consideration.
	This recycling is aimed at the plastics mainly discarded in the industry.
	In what kind of thing do you recycle the plastic?
	They are recycled to the material for facilities which everybody is seeing usually.
	Our life is supported by the plastic.
	If a plastic is used poor, our lives may get worse.
	The plastic has various possibilities.

Recycling of a plastic

	Mr.Usukawa. In relation to recycling, I often hear the word "3R movement."
	Exactly. Mr.Tic, can you say all?
	Reduce, reuse, recycle!
	It is a correct answer! Do you know their meanings?
	Well…
	"Reduce" means Reducing the quantity of garbage,"Reuse" means reusing a thing, and "Recycle" means using as resources again what was used.
	It is a correct answer. But recently we hear also another R, do you know it?
	Another R?
	I have not heard it.
	It is "Refuse".
	Refuse? What is that mean??
	It means refusing.
	What do you refuse?
	I might understand the meaning. Is that mean that refuse a shopping bag?
	That's right! “Refuse” is do not buy the useless thing do not use.
	I see. I understood!
	She was right. For example,when we go shopping an action of bringing my bag is "Refuse".

Let's go to a recycle center!

	I have got bored only by hearing the talk.
	Well… That’s true. Mr.Usukawa, I want to change of pace!
	...Change of pace....
	Mr.Usukawa, shall we take a break somewhere?
	Oh! I just got a good idea!
	Wow, do you treat us anything!?
	Sae, Mr.Tic. Let's actually go to the recycling plant !
	Huh… We thought that we could rest.
	It seems to be fun.
	Yes! Let's go! Only from hearing the talk, We greatly become study!
	I want to go there! Mr.Usukawa, Let's go early!!
	Yes!
	Oh…yes…